NALSA launches scheme to strengthen legal aid to defence personnel, families

Justice Kant said the initiative “stands as a declaration of our intent to extend every possible support and opportunity in safeguarding the rights of our military and paramilitary personnel and their families. It is our pledge that while our soldiers stand vigilant at the nation’s borders, we in the legal fraternity will stand equally vigilant in protecting their rights and their welfare at home.”

He said “a robust back-end mechanism” has been created to support the needs of the armed forces.

The move “goes far beyond merely strengthening access to legal assistance through the Legal Services Authorities. Under this initiative, we are actively involving defence families and ex-servicemen by inviting them to serve as paralegal volunteers.”

Justice Kant said that like any other citizen, defence personnel too face many legal challenges which become harder when they are posted in remote areas.

“They too must contend with routine civilian challenges — land disputes, matrimonial issues, questions over service entitlements, or even something as ordinary as an inflated electricity bill… A sipahi stationed in a remote post cannot simply leave his duty to attend to legal concerns, nor can he effectively pursue a matter pending far away. We cannot, for instance, expect a soldier serving in the valleys of Jammu and Kashmir to personally manage a dispute concerning his home in distant Rajasthan,” he said.

The scheme, he said, “marking the 30 years of NALSA’s service to the cause of legal aid, will honour the legacy of those who have served and fought for our safety and security”. “It is our turn to keep those first who have always kept this country first.”