Guwahati, November 9: The University School of Law and Research (USLR) at the University of Science and Technology Meghalaya organized a workshop on ‘Working of National Legal Service Authority’ here today where Justice Mr BP Katakey, former Judge, Gauhati High Court delivered a thought-provoking lecture. The event was organized to mark National Legal Service Day.
Addressing a huge gathering at the Central Auditorium of USTM, Justice BP Katakey stated that access to justice doesn’t mean having a very good court building or facilities for legal service providers, according to a USTM Press Release.
“Access to justice actually means whether the system could provide efficient and cost-effective justice to the people of the country”, he said.
Justice Katakey said that access to justice has two parts—access to justice for all through legal awareness and access to justice in terms of legal aid apart from making available affordable justice. In his speech, Justice Katakey mentioned the Legal Services Authorities Act 1987 of providing free legal advice and services to the weaker sections of society and to ensure that opportunities for securing justice are not denied to any citizen by reason ofeconomic or other disabilities.
In this context, he denied to agree that women are the weaker section of society. He was also sceptical of the justice delivery system to the poor. Free legal Aid is a directive enshrined under Article 39A of the Constitution of India that provides for free legal aid to the poor and weaker sections of society and ensures justice for all.
But this directive has been elevated to the status of a Fundamental Right by Justice Bhagwati in the landmark decision of Hussainara Khatoon (1979) by ruling that free legal aid is a necessary concomitant of the right to life and personal liberty guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution of India.
Earlier, Prof GD Sharma Vice Chancellor of USTM delivered a warm welcome address. Justice BP Katakey was felicitated by Prof Sharma, Dr RK Sharma, Advisor USTM, Dr BK Das, Pro Vice Chancellor USTM, Prof Subhram Rajkhowa, Dr Baharul Islam, Dean USLR.