LEGAL AID

Date: 10-05-2015                                                                               By email

To,

Hon’ble Minister for Law & Justice

Ministry of Law and Justice, Govt of India

A-Wing, Shastri Bhawan, New Delhi-110 001

secy-jus@gov.in

Hon’ble Sir,

Subject:  Legal Aid Scheme

I thank BJP Govt for taking series of steps to make life of common Indians easy when dealing with Govt. I have been witness to real good governance in Gujarat in last one decade. I submit my humble suggestions for your kind consideration:

1] Mostly junior advocates or those advocates who do not get clients are allotted under legal aid scheme. This affects end result of the case and mostly litigants stand to lose. I suggest that at par with Corporate Social Responsibility of public limited companies, all advocates on roll should be compulsorily required to personally handle at least five cases per financial year, two of which should be cases involving larger public interest.

2] Depending upon gravity of case, legal aid committee should suggest at least five advocates to the applicant, with brief bio-data of advocates, so that he can choose proper advocate. Stock exchanges under arbitration scheme give such options to the investors who have disputes with financial intermediaries etc.

3] Legal aid authority should put on its website, district and High/Supreme Court-wise data regarding cases aided by it and number of cases where aided litigant succeeded in cases with percentage of successful cases.

4] Legal aid scheme should be extended to Consumer Forums/State Commissions and NCDRC.

5] Advocates who perform well should be publicly appreciated including some monetary benefit.

I am sure your Ministry will cogitate on my suggestions which are conveyed as part of public participation in governance.

Thanking you,