KIPHIRE, May 22 (MExN): Kiphire District Legal Services Authority (KDLSA) organized a legal seminar with the youth of Kiphire Town at the Sangtam Baptist Church Kiphire on May 21.
Speaking on child marriage, cyber crime and domestic violence, L. Likhase Sangtam, Retainer Lawyer KDLSA apprised that some of the common cyber crimes which can attract prosecution as per the penalties and offences prescribed in IT Act, 2000 are harassment via fake public profile on social networking site, online hate community, email account hacking, credit card fraud, web defacement, introducing viruses, worms, backdoors, root kits, Trojans, bugs, cyber terrorism, cyber pornography, phishing and email scams.
He added that theft of confidential information, source code theft, tax evasion and money laundering, online share trading fraud are also some of the cyber crimes.
On domestic violence, Likhase informed that the parliament enacted the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 which aims to prevent harassment of women. He said that domestic violence means any act, omission or conduct which harms or injures or endangers the health, safety, life, limb or well being of a woman.
Likhase highlighted that an aggrieved woman can get relief from domestic violence, by directly approaching the court of judicial magistrate seeking redressal. He said that on the aggrieved woman’s behalf, any protection officer or any other person can also file petition before the magistrate seeking relief, while she or any other person having knowledge of such domestic violence can give information to the protection officer. Likhase further apprised that the aggrieved woman can also approach the legal service authority for redressal of her grievances.
On child marriage, he said that The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 restrains the solemnization of child marriages by laying down the minimum age for both boys and girls. Likhase pointed out that according to Section 2(a) of the act, a “child” means a person who, if male, has completed 21 years of age and if female has completed 18 years of age.
Speaking on free legal aid, right to information and consumer rights, Hotingkyu Sangtam, Panel Lawyer KDLSA said that the Legal Service Authority Act 1987 was enacted making provisions for providing free legal aid and legal awareness amongst all. He said that under the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 any consumer dispute can approach the consumer court or forum located in all district and seek redressal free of cost. Hotingkyu informed that a simple complaint is enough with no court fee or lawyer necessary, while the aggrieved can also represent the case by himself. He further highlighted that The Right to Information Act, 2005 provide for setting out the practical regime of right to information for citizens to secure access to information under the control of public authorities, in order to promote transparency and accountability in the working of every public authority, the constitution of a central information commission and state information commissions for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
This was followed by an interaction session. The seminar was attended by more than 600 participants. The leaders of the youth also thanked the KDLSA for imparting legal knowledge to the youths of Kiphire.
