SIGNIFICANT EVENTS

 

News from State of Maharashtra

 

Pilot  Project  on Village Literacy

 

 

 

          A novel scheme has been undertaken by Bombay High Court Legal Services Committee to make legally literate the villages located in Thane District, with the valuable assistance of Law students, Law College Professors and Members of Legal fraternity.IHigh

 

         

The concluding camp was held on 21-1-2007 at Umroli, District Thane. To take feed back and to test legal literacy and knowledge of the villagers, the written tests were conducted and the successful villagers and students were awarded by the Legal Literacy Certificates in a function held on 30-1-2007 in the High Court at Bombay. 

 

Training Programme on 13th and 14th January 2007 at Latur

 

          On 13th and 14th January 2007 a training programme for 30 prosecutors was organised on behalf of Maharashtra State Legal Services Authority and the NGOs known as ‘Save the Children India’ jointly at Latur sponsored by UNDP. The dignitaries Dr. Harish Shetty, Psychiatrist, Miss Harlin Valia of UNDP, Shri Laulkar, District Judge, Dr. Shaila Lohia, Social Worker, Shri K.V.Kulkarni, Advocate were the Resource Persons for the training programme. The appreciation certificates were also awarded to the delegates at the hands of Dr. Shaila Lohia.

The workshop on Legal Literacy Mission

 

          The workshop on Legal Literacy Mission was organised by accrediated NGO viz. Swamsiddha Mahila Mandal, Latur. The function was inaugurated by Shri Justice V.R.Kingaonkar, Judge, High Court Bench, Aurangabad. The programme was attended by villagers, lawyers, judges and other members of the society. Intensive Training in various laws concerning women was given by Honourable Shri Justice V.R.Kingaonkar. The participants were appraised on the provisions of Domestic Violence Act.

 

Workshop on ADR

 

          On 24-2-2007 ADR Workshop was organised by District Legal Services Authority, Ratnagiri. Law students from Law Colleges of Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg participated in the workshop so also Advocates and Judicial Officers.

 

Reprinted two books

 

          Maharashtra State Legal Services Authority reprinted two books on ‘Maintenance and Women and Criminal Law’ in Marathi language, for distribution.

 

 

 

Published handbills

 

Maharashtra State Legal Services Authority printed handbills showing the activities of the Authority, for distribution in fares, Legal Literacy Camps, etc. 

Programmes on Women Day at Byculla Prison

 

          On 10th March 2007, Maharashtra State Legal Services Authority in co-ordination with the Byculla District Prison, organized the ‘National Womens Day’ and Honourable Ladyship Smt. Ranjana Desai inaugurated the said programme at Byculla District Prison. The competition of ‘Rangoli’ for women prisoners was also organised and prizes were distributed for best performance to the winner, at the hands of Honourable Ladyship. Honourable Justice Smt. Ranjana Desai addressed to the gathering of Women Prisoners and indulged in direct dialogue with the lady prisoner to get acquaintance with their difficulties and problems, for its solution.

 

          Maharashtra State Legal Services Authority has distributed the daily need items viz. Bathsoap, Washingsoap, Shampoo, Comb and coconut oil bottle to the prisoner. Lady Prisoner also ventilated their grievances before Honourable Ladyship.

 

          Shri N.V.Deshmukh, Member Secretary, Shri R.P.Pande, Deputy Secretary, Shri Kamble Superintendent of Jail, staff members of Maharashtra State Legal Services Authority and staff members of Jail were present.

 

          Total 263 women prisoners have participated in the said programme.    

1.       Two days’ Conference of Chairmen and Member Secretaries  of   State   Legal  Services Authority

 

 

On 19th and 20th August 2007 State Legal Services Authority has organized two days’ conference for Chairman and Member Secretaries of District Legal Services Authorities and Secretaries of Committees, Sub-Committees at Mumbai, Nagpur, Aurangabad and Goa along with President of Accredited NGOs and Law Students, at Conference Hall, High Court Annex Building, Fort, Mumbai. 

 

 

On 19th August 2007 inaugural function was held at the auspicious hands of Honourable Shri Justice Ashok Bhan, Judge, Supreme Court of India. All Chairmen, Member Secretaries of District Legal Services Authorities, office bearers of NGOs and Law Students were present. Honourable Shri Justice J.N.Patel, Executive Chairman of Maharashtra State Legal Services Authority, Honourable the Chief Justice and Patron-in-Chief of Maharashtra State Legal Services Authority and other Honourable Judges of Bombay High Court were present on the occasion.

 

 

          On first day i.e. on 19th August 2007 two working sessions were organized. The first working session was conducted by Honourable Shri Justice J.N.Patel, Executive Chairman of Maharashtra State Legal Services Authority and Honourable Shri Justice R.C.Chavan. Second session was conducted by Honourable Shri Justice N.V.Dabholkar, Chairman, High Court Legal Services Sub-Committee, Aurangabad and Honourable Shri Justice A.S.Oka.

In first working session following subjects were taken for discussion

 

(1)     Common Minimum Programme.

(2)     Effective Legal Aid

(3)     Multiple activities of Free and Competent Legal Aid Clinics.

(4)     Plea Bargaining.

 

In Second session following subjects were taken for discussion -

 

(1)     Legal Literacy Campaign on -

 

 

(a)      Protection of rights of Women and Children against violence and harassment.

(b)     Mobile Legal Literacy Campaign

(c)     Para Legal Training

(d)     Training and sensitization of community social workers, legal aid counsels, Judicial Officers.

 

 

(2)     Expansion of the work of legal literacy mission and Lok Adalat.

 

 

 

On 20th August 2007 also two sessions were organized. First session was conducted by Honourable Dr. Justice Shri S.Radhakrishnan, Chairman, High Court Legal Services Committee, Mumbai and Honourable Shri Justice V.M.Kanade and second session was conducted by Honourable Dr. Justice Shri D.Y.Chandrachud and Honourable Smt. Justice R.S.Dalvi.

 

In first session following subject was taken for discussion -

 

 

          Involvement of NGOs in Legal Aid Programmes of District Legal Services Authority.

In Second session following subjects were taken for discussion –

 

 

(1)     Spot light on poor – need for Legal Aid, Role of Law Students.

 

(2)     Legal Support Services Clinics at Law College.

At about 200 Law Students, Teachers and Principals

from different Law Colleges of Mumbai were present.

 

Many subjects were discussed during working sessions. Working Sessions were presided over by Hon’ble Judges of Bombay High Court.

 

Documentary film was displayed. Script Writer and Director were honoured.

 

2.    Prepared calender on Common Minimum Programme

 

Maharashtra State Legal Services Authority printed calendar on Common Minimum Programme to be implemented by all the District Legal Services Authorities for the year 2008.

 

 

3.                             Prosecutor’s Training

 

Maharashtra State Legal Services Authority with NGO – ‘Save the Children India’, organized training for prosecutors to address the issue of Human Trafficking, so as to curb the menace by effective prosecution of culprits in the Court of law. This was organized on 14th and 15th July 2007 at YMCA Hall, Bombay Central.

 

4.                          Legal Literacy Camp

 

 

          Legal Literacy Camp was organized at Vir Vajekar Arts, Science and Commerce College, Funde, Taluka Uran, District Raigad on 9th September 2007.

 

 

 

          Honourable Shri Justice A.A.Sayed has inaugurated the said camp. N.S.S. Students from 26 Colleges of Raigad District were present, in the said workshop.

 

 

          Principal of Law College Shri N.M.Rajadhyaksha, Shri M.B.Pawar, Advocate Shri Bhupesh Samant, Shri Hemant Kenjalkar, Shri Dilip Talekar have guided the students on various topics.

 

 

 

5.                             Workshop on A.D.R.

 

 

 

 

 

          On 22nd September 2007 a workshop was organized by High Court. A.D.R. Committee with the association of Bar Association of Small Causes Court, Mumbai at Conference Hall, High Court Annex Building, Fort, Mumbai. This workshop was exclusively for Small Cause Court Judges and Advocates.

 

 

The Honourable Shri Justice Dr. Arijit Pasayat, Judge Supreme Court of India, New Delhi, has inaugurated the workshop.  The Honourable Shri Justice Swatantar Kumar, Chief Justice of Bombay High Court, Honourable Shri Justice S.B.Mhase, Honourable Shri Justice F.I.Rebello, Honourable Shri Justice A.M.Khanvilkar, Honourable Shri Justice Dr. D.Y.Chandrachud, Honourable Shri Justice D.B.Bhosale, Honourable Shri Justice J.P.Devadhar, Honourable Shri Justice A.S.Oka, Honourable Shri Justice S.C.Dharmadhikari, Honourable Shri Justice A.A.Sayed of Bombay High Court addressed on the participants on various topics relating to ADR.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

          At about 250 Advocates and 35 Small Cause Court Judges participated in the workshop.

 

 

 

6.  Sensitisation Workshop with the Judges of the Family Court

 

 

 

 

          Maharashtra State Legal Services Authority with the Association of ‘Muskan’ the child and Adolescent Guidance Centre of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, arranged sensitization workshop with the Judges of the Family Court at Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Deonar, Mumbai. Judges from Family Courts of Maharashtra and marriage counselors were present. Various issues relating to the child and marriage were discussed in the said workshop.

 

7.                    Legal Literacy Camp at Melghat

 

          On 19th February 2008 Maharashtra State Legal Services Authority with assistance of District Bar Association, Amravati and Taluka Bar Association, Dharni arranged Legal Literacy Camp at trible area of Melghat.

 

          Honourable Chief Justice of Bombay High Court shri Swatantar Kumar has inaugurated the said camp. Honourable Shri Justice J.N.Patel has given valuable guidance to the tribles.

8.                    Series Of Mega Lok Adalat Organised On 26th April 2008 In Mumbai                     


                  Maharashtra State Legal Services Authority has organised series of Mega Lok Adalat on 26th April 2008 at the various court of
Metropolitan Magistrate in Mumbai, to minimise the pendency of the cases instituted u/s. 138 of Negotiable Instrument Act, for dishonour of cheque etc.  There were in all 14,502 cases were kept form the courts of Metropolitan Magistrate in Mumbai for amicable settlement in Lok Adalat.  In the aftermark, the large no. of cases, in all 9294 came to be settled in the Lok Adalat.  The huge response were received from the litigants, finiancial institution and concern advocates for great success of Mega Lok Adalat organised on behalf of Maharashtra Legal Services Authority.    


9.                      Conference Of The Judicial Officer cum Refresher Course Held On 26th April 2008


                   In view of huge pendency of cases filed u/s. 138 of the NI Act, the Maharashtra State Legal Services Authority scheduled the conference of the Judicial Officer cum Refresher Course to enlighten various provisions of law to deal with the cases filed u/s 138 NI Act, by the concern magistrate from all over Maharashtra.  Hon'ble Shri Justice H.S. Bedi, Judge, Supreme Court Of India was pleased to inaugrate the conference.  Hon'ble Shri Justice J.N. Patel, Exeutive Chairman of MSLSA, Hon'ble Shri Justice Bilal Nazki, Judge, Bombay High Court, Hon'ble Dr.Justice S.Radhakrishnan, Chairman of the High Court Legal Services Committee graced the occasion.  There Lordships addressed valuable thoughts to the delegates which would facilitate to deal with cases u/s. 138 of NI Act.



10.                      Conference Of The Judicial Officer On "Case Management" Dated 27th April 2008 


                      

                    The High Court Of Bombay in co-ordination with the Maharashtra State Legal Services Authority organised the conference of Judicial Officer on "Case Management". Hon'ble The Chief Justice Of  India Shri K.G.  Balkrishnan  inaugurated  the  conference by  enlighting  the traditional  lamp with the Hon'ble The Chief Justice Of Bombay High Court Shri Swatanter Kumar presided over the function .   Hon'ble  Shri  Justice  Bilal  Nazki, Hon'ble  Shri  Justice  J.N.  Patel  & Hon'ble  Minister Law & Judiciary , State Of Maharashtra Mr. Hassan M. Mushrif were  the  Guest  Of  Honour.  All  the  dignitaries have given valuable guidance to the Judicial Officers on the topic of Case Management for speedy disposal of cases pending in the courts.


11.                      ADR Training Programme on 26th April 2008 At Aurangabad

                On 26th April 2008 ADR Committee of Bombay High Court in co-ordination with Bar Association of Aurangabad has organised ADR Training Programme for Advocates at Aurangabad, High Court. The inaugural function was held at Auditorium of Aurangabad Bench of Bombay High Court. Hon’ble Shri Justice Arijit Pasayat, Judge, Supreme Court of India, inaugurated the training programme. Hon’ble The Chief Justice and Patron-in-Chief of Maharashtra State Legal Services Authority Shri Swatanter Kumar and Hon’ble Shri Justice S.B. Mhase, Chairman of ADR Committee of Bombay High Court, were present, on the occasion of training programme. Many topics related to ADR were discussed in the workshop.  All the advocates participated enthusiastically in the programme.      



12.                      Prosecutors Training Programme on Anti Human Traffic

            Maharashtra State Legal Services Authority and Save the Children of India(NGO) with support of UNODC has organised Prosecutors Training on Anti Human Traffic.  The training programme was inaugurated by Hon’ble Shri Justice J.N. Patel, Executive Chairman of Maharashtra State Legal Services Authority. Hon’ble Shri Justice N.H. Patil and Hon’ble Shri Justice P.V. Hardas were the resource persons who addressed there valuable guidance to the participant. Dr. Geeta Sekhon from UNODC was also addressed to the prosecutor to curb menace of Human Trafficking.   




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