SC announces free legal aid for terror victims

Chief Justice of India K G Balakrishnan directed the Maharashtra State Legal Services Authority to provide free legal aid to dependants of all those affected in the 26/11 Mumbai terrorist attacks. It is for the first time that the Supreme Court has come forward to help the families of the terror victims by giving them legal assistance to overcome the aftermath of the attacks. It has communicated to the Ministry of Law and Justice to amend section 12 of the Legal Service Authorities Act, 1987, to include senior citizens, dependant families of armed forces personnel and paramilitary forces. The National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), headed by the Chief Justice and Supreme Court Judge Arjit Pasayat, has announced to give free legal help to any person who was a victim of terrorist and extremist violence or riots. G M Akbar Ali, member secretary of NALSA, said they will appoint a sitting or retired judge at the State Legal Service Authority in Mumbai. The victims would also be provided with help of a panel of lawyers. Help from psychiatrists counselors and social activists actively involved in the rehabilitation of the victims, will also be taken up. In a meeting held by NALSA in the Supreme Court, Mr Balakrishnan and Justice Pasayat, along with other members, had decided to impart legal aid to the families of all those who lost their lives in the attacks. Adarsh Kumar, under secretary and public information officer of NALSA said following the attacks, many security personnel and others had lost their lives. NALSA will provide all sorts of help for them to get compensation, medical treatment, death certificates, Legal heir certificates, identity of missing people, insurance claims, workman compensation, recovering of movable and immovable properties and other benefit schemes from state or central governments, he added. UNI

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