Shillong, May 9: Supreme Court Chief Justice & Patron-in-Chief, National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) Surya Kant said the delivery system should be brought under one roof to benefit the citizens.
He inaugurated the mega camp-cum-awareness programme on the NALSA schemes & government welfare schemes under the theme “Bridging the Gap” on Saturday at Marngar, Ri Bhoi district. The camp was conducted in partnership with the government to ensure last-mile delivery of NALSA social welfare benefits and government schemes.
The chief justice, in his inaugural address as the chief guest of the occasion, shared anecdotes about experiences while dealing with the public and the multi-dimensional problems that the public face.
“That, institutions must come to the public to ensure last mile access to justice; that healthcare access, educational support, livelihood opportunities, and rehabilitation assistance are being brought into convergence mode through the awareness camps. Therefore, it is very essential that under one roof all these welfare schemes implemented by government department and organisations, legal organizations – all together to join hands and work together in tandem’, he said.
While acknowledging the role of para-legal volunteers, he urged the authority to strengthen their recruitment.
Extolling the community-based administration of justice, the various sections of society were encouraged to participate more actively in ensuring inclusive and compassionate justice to the marginalized sections of society.
Speaking as the guest of honour, Justice Ujjal Bhuyan, Judge, Supreme Court of India, observed that the people of the state maintain their respective traditional systems of justice. He emphasised the importance of aligning the traditional justice system with the modern justice delivery system under the Constitution of India. Pointing towards pineapple cultivation in Ri Bhoi, he shared that the people of the state are as sweet as the pineapples grown there.
In his address, Law Minister Lahkmen Rymbui, said, “MSLSA has devised a comprehensive legal service program in the form of State Action Plan. Effort has been made when framing the activities to ensure that they adapt to the local situation, so that they can effectively address the problem faced by the people of the state; at the same time to be in consonance with the national plan of action.It is expected that these activities will be carried out in letter and spirit, and that the benefits will reach the targeted section of society.”
He added that access to justice requires a collective effort of the government, judiciary, and society.
Revati Mohite Dere, Chief Justice, High Court of Meghalaya & Patron-in-Chief, Meghalaya State Legal Services Authority, (MSLSA), said the mega camp is a promise to the people that legal help is accessible and would subsequently bridge the gap between citizens and the government, as well as between citizens and the judiciary. Stating that in the last five years, 14 such mega camps have been held covering 9 districts and benefitting thousands of people, she maintained, “In our democracy, justice has no distance.”
The dignitaries distributed assistive devices/implements to Persons with Disabilities (PwDs), cheques/work orders to beneficiaries of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and Village Organisations (VOs) under government schemes, and certificates to the best-performing legal aid panel lawyers, para-legal volunteers (PLVs), and lawyers from Legal Aid Defense Counsel (LADCs) during the year 2025.
Lok Adalat settles cases
In a separate statement, the Meghalaya State Legal Services Authority, said it organised a Lok Adalat and 242 pre-litigation cases and 383 pending cases were taken up for settlement.
Total number of cases taken up was 625, of which 183 cases were settled for a total amount of Rs.1,34,86,214
The initiative was under the patronage and guidance of the Chief Justice Revati Mohite Dere, State Legal Services Authority and supervision of Justice H.S. Thangkhiew, Judge, High Court of Meghalaya and Executive Chairman, Meghalaya State Legal Services Authority and Justice W. Diengdoh, Judge, High Court of Meghalaya and Chairperson,High Court Legal Services Committee.
The National Lok Adalat was in the High Court of Meghalaya and all the Districts of the State of Meghalaya under the aegis of the National Legal Services Authority
