A legal aid clinic to provide basic legal services to the people has been opened at the collectorate in Tiruchi.
Established by the District Legal Services Authority, the clinic was inaugurated by the Principal District and Sessions Judge P.Velmurugan in the presence of Collector Jayashree Muralidharan, Judicial Officers, lawyers and government officials.
The clinic would function from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on all working days and manned by a paralegal volunteer and a panel lawyer. It would help people to solve their legal problems free of cost whenever needed.
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The paralegal volunteer or lawyer deputed to the clinic would attempt to amicably resolve the pre-litigation disputes brought to the clinic.
If it was felt that the dispute could be resolved through any of the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanism, they would refer such disputes to the legal services institution having territorial jurisdiction or to the District ADR centre.
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In addition to providing initial advice to those seeking legal assistance, the para-legal volunteer would help people in drafting petitions, representations or notices and in filling up application forms to enable them avail benefits under government schemes.
The paralegal volunteer would interact with government officials, authorities and other institutions in solving the problems of the common people approaching the clinic. Principal District and Sessions Judge Velmurugan told the media soon after the inauguration that legal aid clinics would be opened at Tiruchi Corporation, office of the Commissioner of Police and in village panchayats.