Gujarat: Pilot project begins to provide free legal aid for criminal defence

“The home minister(Pradeepsinh Jadeja) has assured us that most of our demands will be met,” said Jitendra Nimawat who is an ex-serviceman from Himmatnagar and was one of the leaders of the group.

A pilot project to provide free legal aid defence services to those accused or convicted in criminal cases — the Office of legal aid defence counsel system — was inaugurated by Gujarat High Court Chief Justice Vikram Nath at the Surendranagar district court on Sunday.

The system comprises a panel of three levels of counsels. RK Modh, project officer of Gujarat State Legal Services Authority, said, “The panel includes a chief legal counsel who has a minimum of 15 years of practice, an additional chief counsel with a minimum of 10 years of practice and an assistant legal aid with an experience ranging from one to three years. An advertisement was published by the chairman of the District Legal Services Authority of Surendranagar and were accordingly appointed. The services can be availed free of cost for those falling under section 12 in The Legal Services Authorities Act, (1987).”