“Why is mandatory rural service only reserved for medical professionals & not legal professionals?”: Justice UU Lalit

Read Time: 05 minutes

Justice UU Lalit on Saturday speaking at a conference said that free legal aid does not mean poor legal aid, free legal aid must mean quality service. "One must be afforded the best possible choice as a legal sort of counsel," Justice Lalit added.

Justice Lalit at the Conference on Early Access to Justice at Pre-arrest Arrest and Remand Stage on 26th March, 2022 at Maharashtra said that, "If I go through this door and approach the legal aid, I must be assured that good quality assistance will be given to me, rather than if I go through the other door, where may I have to sell ornaments of my wife in order to support the litigation to be sponsored."

Pressing upon the issue of accessibility Justice Lalit said, at every possible stage, the man must have the advantage or the benefit of qualified legal assistance.

Talking about the Judges Justice Lalit said that, "Go purely by merits of the case which it demands. Whether it demands that the man must be put under arrest, so be it, but the man must be given good quality legal assistance and we can, we can, if  we just keep our eyes open and say that if a man is produced before me, without legal counsel, his right under Article 22 demands that he has a counsel of his choice. Poor fellow doesn’t even know what is his choice."

In addition to this, mentioning about Advocate Justice Lalit said lawyers, over which we don’t have control straight away but indirectly we can control it. And that indirect control is, induct good talented persons, legal professionals, in the services of legal aid.

Justice Lalit further suggested to make legal aid, a part of curriculum at LLB level, he said that, “We have courses like medicine, where after a person graduates, he gives it back to the society by serving as an internship in rural areas, Correct! Why not with legal professional? Why is it that the service of rural areas is the prerogative and preserve only of medical professionals.”

Talking about various facets including, induct people on pro bono, increase remuneration, have good quality persons Justice Lalit said, "I am not so touchy, about the fact that only senior persons must be give the charge. I have seen spark of talent even in youngsters and those youngsters do tremendous amount of work with so much of zeal, that perhaps I think that may not be matched by some of the older persons in the profession. So seniority, is not the only determining criteria."