KDLSA orients new para legal volunteers

Kohima District Legal Services Authority (KDLSA) members with newly inducted Para Legal Volunteers after the orientation training held in Kohima. (Photo Courtesy: KDLSA)

Kohima, October 20 (MExN): The Kohima District Legal Services Authority (KDLSA) held orientation training for the newly inducted Para Legal Volunteers (PLVs) on October 19.

The programme was chaired by Asenla Walling, Panel Lawyer KDLSA and the keynote address was given by Phuleto Yeptho, Secretary Kohima DLSA, who briefed the freshers about their work and how they should utilise their Legal Services Clinic and show transparency in every duty and also to maintain reports of their clinic.

Juvenile Justice System and Role of PLVs was given  by Julian Sitlhoul, Judicial Magistrate First Class who briefed about taking extra measures to the juveniles and to guide their officers in works, specially the PLVs from police personnel. 

Topic presentation was delivered on Purpose and Role of PLVs, Do’S and Dont’s for PLVs and Record Keeping/Reporting.

Liaising with DLSA PL/Secretary was shared by Sunjib Rana Retainer Lawyer, KDLSA who said that the PLV Scheme aims at imparting legal training to volunteers selected from different walks of life so as to ensure that legal aid is reached to all the section of people through the process of Para-Legal Volunteers. Rana also shared on Record Keeping/Reporting and how to maintain the records.

Topic on how to file an FIR/Affidavits and applications to Department etc was presented by Puchole Zaphu, Project Assistance KDLSA. FIR stands for “First Information Report.” Zaphu said it was a common understanding that ‘Complaint’ and “FIR’ is same. However, in statutory interpretation, there is a difference between complaint and FIR. The term ‘complaint’ is defined in CrPC (Code of Criminal Procedure) as any allegation made orally or in writing to a Magistrate that some person known or unknown has committed an offence with a view to take action under this code.

The FIR can be made only of cognizable offence to the police. FIR is a pre-requisite for the police to begin investigation of a cognizable offence, Zaphu added.

Apila Sangtam, Panel Lawyer  KDLSA briefed on Various Welfare Schemes from the department like Old Age Pension Schemes, Widow Schemes, Disability Schemes etc.

Topic on Alternative Dispute Redressal/Lok Adalat was presented by Nagali Shohe, Panel Lawyer KDLSA. It has become insufficient to deal with pending cases as the courts are clogged with long unsettled cases.

The scenario is that even after setting up more than a thousand fast track courts that already settled thousands of cases, the problem still lies far from being solved. To deal with this kind of situation the ADR has been implemented. It resolves conflict/disputes in a peaceful manner, Shohe said.

ADR comes under Article 14 &21 which deals with equality before law and right to life and personal liberty. An interactive hour with the PLVs was also held followed by vote of thanks by the chair. Altogether 22 PLVs attended the orientation training.