The Krishna District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) recently set up a Village Legal Care and Support Centre at the Special Sub-Jail to provide legal aid to under-trial (UT) prisoners. Earlier it was known as the ‘Legal Aid Clinic’.
“This is the first centre which started services from August 30 at the sub-jail in Machilipatnam. It mainly focuses on helping prisoners make their voice heard in the court of law. The idea is to make sure that prisoners have a lawyer to represent their cases,” said DLSA Secretary Chinnamsetti Raju.
Three similar centres also function at Pedana and Guduru towns and at Tallapalem village in Krishna district. According to DLSA officials, a two-member team comprising an advocate and a para-legal volunteer will represent the centre in the jail to register grievances of the under-trial prisoners.
The team will interact with the prisoners at the centre on every Saturday and promise to address their grievances on a war footing.
“The DLSA also provides legal aid to those who cannot afford a lawyer to defend their case. Based on recommendations by the two-member team, the DLSA will take a stand on those seeking legal aid,” added Mr. Raju.
