‘Serve country at borders, we'll take care of your family': Govt launches legal aid for soldiers
The scheme, which has been unveiled on the Kargil Vijay Diwas, was inaugurated at a conference in Srinagar by Justice Surya Kant, Executive Chairman of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA).
Under the NALSA scheme, legal service clinics will be set up in Sainik Welfare Boards across all states, PTI quoted Kuldeep Sharma, Secretary and Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate of District Legal Services Authority, as saying.
The free legal aid at these clinics will be provided to both retired and serving soldiers and their family members. The clinics will also have panel lawyers and para-legal volunteers of the legal services authority.
This is the first time in the country's history that free legal assistance has been specifically provided to the families of soldiers. The decision has been taken in order to relieve soldiers from domestic legal burdens while they serve the country in harsh conditions, NDTV reported.
The message for the scheme is: You serve the country at the borders, we will take care of your family at home.
Soldiers posted at distant and inaccessible locations face difficulties following through on their legal cases involving domestic or property disputes, or land matters. Therefore, the NALSA will intervene in such matters to ensure that the soldiers receive proper representation in courts across the country.
The launch was attended by Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, and J&K Governor Manoj Sinha.
Following Operation Sindoor, Justice Surya Kant was moved by the sacrifices made by the armed forces, NDTV quoted sources as saying. He began looking into ways the judiciary could facilitate their well-being, thus leading to the decision.
The NALSA Veer Parivar Sahayata Yojana will be launched by Justice Surya Kant before he takes over as the next Chief Justice of India on November 24.
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