Seminar on legal aid services at Rayat Bahra, Patiala

A seminar on Legal Aid Services was organised by the  Bahra College of Law of the Rayat Bahra Group, Patiala Campus, in celebration of the Legal Day. Legal Aid Competition was arranged for the students with events like Essay Writing, Spot Painting and Skit.

Ashish Kumar Bansal, Chief Judicial Magistrate Cum Secretary District Legal Services Authority, Patiala, addressed the law students and explained in detail the importance of Legal Day celebrations. He made the students aware of the services of Legal Aid Centers referring Article 39-A of the Constitution that opportunities for securing justice were not denied to any citizen by reason of economic or other disabilities.

He further said that the retired judges, practicing layers and social activists were rendering their support and assistance to a wide range of sufferers. He said that Legal Aid Services is one of the pioneering legal aid offering civil society originations in India that empowers the poor and the disadvantaged with varied legal entitlements. Legal Aid is a provider of access to justice by ensuring equality before the law, the right to counsel and the right to fair trial.

He thanked Principal Dr Harsharan Kaur and faculty members of the Law Department for making all efforts for this seminar on Legal Aid Services which, he hoped, would be useful to the students.

Essay Writing, Skit and Spot Painting Competition was also held in which more than 30 students participated on the topic of Legal Terms i.e. “Drug Abuse”, “Free Legal Aid & Equal Justice and “Legal Service Authority Act”. In the essay writing competition Simranpreet Kaur stood first, Sakand Thakur  2^nd and Sukhanmeet Kaur got 3^rd position. In Spot Painting Lovereet Kaur stood 1^st, Priya Sharma and Anjali Sharma -2^nd and Manpreet Kaur got 3^rd position.

Chief Guest Ashish Kumar Bansal, Chief Judicial Magistrate Cum Secretary District Legal Services Authority, Campus Director, Dr. Piush Verma, Dr. Harsharan Kaur , Principal (Law) gave away prizes to the winners.

Gurvinder Singh Bahra, Chairman of the Rayat Bahra Group, in his message appreciated the efforts of the participating students who had shown their talent in various events. He further said that right to ‘access to justice’ has been recognized as one of the fundamental rights in our country.

Campus Director Dr Piush Verma said that Legal Aid Services Cell, Punjab, was striving hard to redress the grievances of people experiencing harassment and inconvenience in legal matters.