Chief Justice raps government for delay in legal services

KOLKATA: It’s been nearly three months now, but the state is yet to issue a notification announcing the name of the executive chairman of the State Legal Services Authority (SLSA), West Bengal, Justice Debasish Kar Gupta, chief justice of the Calcutta High Court said on Friday. He said this while addressing at the SLSA’s annual commendation ceremony. The chief justice is also the patron-in-chief of SLSA.


“The name of Justice Biswanath Somadder was recommended on August 16. As per law, the name is to be finalized by the governor after consultations with the chief justice of the Calcutta High Court. This happened on August 16 and Justice Somadder’s name was finalised, but no notification has been issued yet. I hope and trust that the government will understand the importance of this post and issue the notification,” Justice Kar Gupta said.

Highlighting the importance of the SLSA and district legal services associations, the chief justice said: “All citizens of India are not equal, for several reasons. Article 39A was included in our Constitution for this reason and to provide justice to all, irrespective of the person’s social or economic status.”

Justice Somadder, who is now officiating as chairman of SLSA, West Bengal, insisted that justice must reach the poorest man in the remotest part of the state. “This is what I told SLSA, WB member secretary Durga Khaitan. Those not privileged enough have to be given the opportunity. Things should not only be symbolic and figurative like the number of Lok Adalats held. It has to be ensured that people from the marginalized society get complete justice. This was the dream of the framers of our Constitution,” he said.

In 2018-19 (till October) SLSA, WB, has awarded and disbursed compensation of Rs 2.46 crore to victims. Of this, Rs 1.08 crore was awarded and disbursed to acid attack victims and Rs 1.28 crore to minors under the Pocso Act. During the day, advocate Jayanta Narayan Chatterjee was felicitated as the best panel lawyer of SLSA, WB. Nirmalendu Juin of Burdwan was declared the best para-legal volunteer.