Haryana State Legal Services Authority is undertaking various legal services activities to give effect to the provisions of National Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 to achieve the ultimate objective of “ACCESS TO JUSTICE FOR ALL”. Various projects and programmes are being launched from time to time in view of sensitive issues prevailing in our society. HALSA and DLSAs are planning and implementing different strategies and mechanisms to strengthen the legal services.
Under the aegis of HALSA, total 22 District Legal Services Authorities and 33 Sub Divisional Legal Services Committees are functioning in Haryana as per the mandate of Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987. HALSA and DLSAs are translating into action various Schemes of Centre and State Governments to reach the deprived sections of the society at grass-root level. Haryana State Legal Services Authority is also implementing the various NALSA Schemes to ensure the rights and benefits of weaker sections of the society by connecting people with various government schemes as per their entitlements.
The sphere of legal services is very vast and it needs more concentration and focus towards achieving the goal of “Access to Justice for All”. Various wings of Legal Services Authorities are working together in a definite direction to make public aware about their constitutional/legal rights. concrete efforts are being made by Panel Advocates, Para Legal Volunteers and staff members of Legal Services Authorities under the guidance of Secretary, DLSA to assist needy persons by rendering free legal aid and advice and speedy redressal of their grievances by using alternate dispute redressal techniques.
Haryana State Legal Services Authority has 15 separate ADR Buildings at Districts Ambala, Bhiwani, Fatehabad, Hisar, Jind, Jhajjar, Karnal, Kaithal, Kurukshetra, Narnaul, Rohtak, Sirsa, Sonepat, Rewari and Yamuna Nagar. These ADR Centres are comprising of all the modules dealing with Legal Services Authorities such as DLSA office, chamber of Chairperson and Secretary, DLSA, Office of Permanent Lok Adalats (PUS), Mediation Cabin, multi-purpose hall, Front Offices, waiting hall for litigants etc. All these modules are functioning under a single roof of ADR Centre and ultimately working in view of provisions of Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987.
Haryana State Legal Services Authority is providing free and competent legal aid to the downtrodden sections of the society through Legal Aid Counsels. Each District Legal Services Authority and Sub Divisional Legal Services Committee are having panel of Advocates and Para Legal Volunteers.
Mediation and Conciliation Centers have been opened in all the Districts and Sub-Divisions of Haryana. Haryana State Legal Services Authority is regularly conducting the Mediation Training Programmes for Judicial Officers and Advocates of Haryana.
Haryana State Legal Services Authority has leveraged the important mechanism of ‘Lok Adalat’ as an effective alternative dispute resolution method for ensuring quick and final consensual disposal of cases binding on the parties, without incurring any extra cost or fees. At present the following three kinds of Lok Adalat are being organized.
Another major activity of Haryana State Legal Services Authority is to create awareness amongst the public about their legal/constitutional rights to achieve the objective of “Access to Justice for All”. People are connected with various welfare schemes of Central/State Governments and get benefits as per their entitlement. People are also made aware on various social-economic issues such human trafficking, acid attack, child marriage, bonded labour, dowry, drug menace, cyber crime etc.
Haryana Victim Compensation Scheme is also being implemented by all the District Legal Services Authorities of Haryana and adequate compensation is being awarded to the victims under the said Scheme. All possible efforts are being made to curtail the delay in process of granting compensation to the victims. The complete details about Haryana Victim Compensation Scheme is mentioned in part namely “About VCS” of the portal.