Delhi State Legal Services Authority organizes training program for para legal volunteers

As part of its efforts to boost legal aid awareness, the Delhi State Legal Services Authority (DSLSA) recently held a two-day community Para-Legal Volunteer (PLV) training program on May 17 and May 18, 2024..The event was organised at the Tis Hazari Courts, Delhi and was aimed at enhancing the capabilities of community para-legal volunteers in Delhi. Approximately 128 PLVs from the Central, North, North-West, and West Districts of Delhi participated in this training session.The DSLSA had launched the initiative keeping in view the crucial role played by community para-legal volunteers in bridging the gap between the public and the justice system, owing to the PLV's better understanding of the social and cultural background of their communities. .A wide range of topics were covered during the training program to ensure that participants had a comprehensive understanding of legal aid and its intricacies. Sessions covered important subjects like the Legal Services Authorities Act, of 1987, matrimonial Laws, an overview of the criminal justice system and the role and responsibilities of PLVs. Additionally, laws that dealt with the protection of children - including newly emerging issues like cybercrimes - were given particular attention. The legal rights and difficulties experienced by vulnerable groups, including senior citizens, transgender people, and members of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, were also covered in the sessions. The first day of the training session was graced by the presence of DSLSA’s Executive Chairperson and Acting Chief Justice of Delhi High Court, Justice Manmohan. He also participated in an insightful Q&A session held during the event..Notably, the event marked the culmination of the “स्कूल चलो (शिक्षा से सक्षम)” initiative as well, which was spearheaded by North-East District Legal Services Authority and meant to promote children's rights to education. This project concentrated on making it easier for kids from slum regions to get into schools. The initiative was reported to be a success, as 101 kids from the North-East District were accepted into surrounding schools. Of this, over 43 children were enrolled in surrounding Anganwadi Centers, while 58 children were admitted to local government schools..The PLV training sessions were chaired by Special Secretary of the DSLSA Naveen Gupta, Additional Secretary of the DSLSA Mridul Gupta, Secretary (Litigation) of the DSLSA Abhinav Pandey, among other dignitaries. .Other distinguished attendees at the event included Principal District and Sessions Judge Sanjay Garg, Principal District and Sessions Judge (West District) Vinod Kumar, the Registrar General of the High Court of Delhi, Kanwaljeet Arora and the Registrar (Vigilance) of the High Court of Delhi, Pawan Kumar Jain.