TS High Court Chief Justice Ujjal Bhuyan inaugurates ‘Ladacs’
The new system of LADCS will help the needy, poor, and distressed have access to justice in a more effective manner in the state.
By Newsmeter Network Published on 6 Feb 2023 5:49 PM IST
Hyderabad: On Monday, Telangana High Court Chief Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and Justice P. Naveen Rao, executive chairman, Telangana State Legal Services Authority, virtually inaugurated the Offices of Legal Aid Defense Counsel System (LADCS) for 16 districts from the Central Hall, High Court, Hyderabad.
The 16 districts identified for the implementation of the Legal Aid Defense Counsel System are:
1. Adilabad
2. Karimnagar
3. Bhadradri-Kothagudem
4. Hanumakonda
5. Jangaon
6. Mahabubnagar
7. Nagarkurnool
8. Nalgonda
9. Nizamabad
10. Peddapalli
11. Sangareddy
12. Siddipet
13. Suryapet
14. Vikarabad
15. Warangal
16. Yadadri-Bhuvanagiri
Chief Justice Ujjal Bhuyan said a majority of the prisoners are undertrial prisoners and belong to marginalised and weaker sections of society. The new system of LADCS will help the needy, poor, and distressed have access to justice in a more effective manner in the state. The service will be expanded to other districts in the future, CJ Bhuyan said.
He further said the Legal Services Authorities Act 1987 was framed by the Parliament in terms of the mandate of the Constitution to provide free legal aid to entitled and marginalised sections of society. Justice P. Naveen Rao said the new Legal Aid Defence Counsel System involves full-time engagement of lawyers with a suitable support system and deals exclusively with the legal aid work in criminal matters in the district headquarters where it is situated.
The offices of LADCS shall also provide:
· Legal advice and assistance to all individuals visiting the office of LADCS.
· Representation/conducting trials and appeals in miscellaneous work in all Sessions, Special and Magistrate Courts, including Executive Courts.
· Handling remand and bail work.
· Providing legal assistance at the pre-arrest stage as per the NALSA scheme.
· Any other legal aid work related to District Courts or as assigned by the secretary, DLSA.
· Periodic visits of jails/prisons of the district under the guidance of the secretary, DLSA.
At present, 14 chief legal aid defense counsels, 14 deputy legal aid defense counsels, and 20 assistant legal aid defense counsels are appointed to the offices of the Legal Aid Defence Counsel System in the state.
