New Delhi, Apr 2 (UNI) Justice Surya Kant, Supreme Court Judge and Chairman of the Supreme Court Legal Services Committee (SCLSC), convened a virtual meeting with the heads of State Legal Services Authorities (SLSAs) and High Court Legal Services Committees (HCLSCs) to assess the progress of a nationwide legal aid campaign.
This initiative, launched in January 2025, aims to assist prisoners in filing appeals or Special Leave Petitions (SLPs) before the Supreme Court.
The campaign, organized in collaboration with Directors General/Inspectors General of Prisons and legal aid committees in various High Courts, seeks to provide legal support to the prisoners whose appeals have been dismissed by the High Court.
The inmates who have completed over half of their sentence but had their bail applications rejected can also approach this forum.
Those denied remission even after appealing the decision in the High Court an approach.
As a result of this drive, over 4,200 prisoners have been identified as eligible for legal assistance, and they have expressed their willingness to seek aid through the SCLSC.
Justice Surya Kant urged all SLSAs and HCLSCs to expedite the submission of paper books, including certified copies of relevant court rulings, to ensure that legal processes are not delayed.
He stressed that such efforts should be ongoing rather than one-time interventions, guaranteeing that inmates in need continuously receive legal support.
Highlighting the importance of transparency, he called for a system where every prisoner is made aware of their right to legal aid from the moment they enter jail. "Legal aid must be available from day one of incarceration," he stated.
The SCLSC Chairman also directed legal aid authorities to actively track the progress of the campaign, ensuring that all required documents are submitted on time so that no deserving case goes unnoticed or unattended.
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