Chief Justice of India Justice Justice N.V. Ramana inaugurated the Front Office of the Supreme Court Legal Services Committee (SCLSC) on Wednesday in the presence of Justice A.M. Khanwilkar, Chairman, SCLSC.
The Chief Justice of India is also the Patron-in-Chief of the Supreme Court Legal Services Committee.
Justice U.U. Lalit, also the Chairman of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), Justice Abhay S. Oka, Justice Jitendra Kumar Maheshwari, Justice P.S. Narasimha, Justice Jamshed Pardiwala and other Supreme Court Judges attended the event.
The Front Office has been re-structured in consonance with the Vision Statement of Supreme Court Legal Services Committee to act as an one-stop centre for legal aid seekers. The Front Office will render various legal services to those in need of legal assistance in the Supreme Court. The functions of Front Offices will include legal services such as legal advice, attending legal aid helpline, receiving and maintaining record with regard to legal aid applications, uploading legal aid applications on Web Portal of SCLSC, maintaining up-to-date data of court based matters on digital platform and informing Legal Aid Beneficiary about particulars of a Panel Lawyer to whom his matter is assigned.
The Front Office has been re-structured and re-oriented in such a manner that it will facilitate confidential interactions between a legal aid seeker and a panel lawyer. A comfortable waiting area has also been provided. The Front Office has been fully equipped with computers and electronic hardware to leverage technology and to make use of the recently developed and launched SCLSC’s Web Portal and digital platform. The front office has got interconnectivity with the Main Office of SCLSC Jail and other Legal Services Authorities and also facilitates Video Conferencing of the legal aid applicants with the authorities of SCLSC or the concerned official dealing with the matter.
The Supreme Court Legal Services Committee has taken action towards the implementation of the vision statement prepared under the guidance of Justice Khanwilkar to enhance the quality of legal services rendered to reach, facilitate and enable the weaker and marginalised sections of society.