NHRC pilot project to improve access to justice for prisoners in Delhi jails

New Delhi: National Human Rights Commission has embarked upon a pilot project to improve access to justice for prisoners in 16 jails of Delhi through a legal aid system by fostering a sense of public service among law students, officials said on Tuesday.

For this, the rights panel has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Delhi Prisons, National Law University (NLU), Delhi, and Delhi State Legal Service Authority (DSLSA), they said.

The aim of this collaborative exercise is also to promote and protect the human rights of prisoners, besides inculcating professionalism among law students, the NHRC said in a statement.

The students from NLU, Delhi now may assist prisoners in filing bail applications and appeals and other research work that may help the court with factual information, and ensure early justice for the inmates under the supervision of Delhi State Legal Services Authority, it said.

The NHRC will monitor the coordination, training, and payment of stipend to the students; the NLU Delhi will nominate 48 students from the third year and above and allow them to visit prisons under the supervision of the Legal Aid Counsel of the DSLSA for one week every month for a year, it added.

The students will assist the DSLSA in spreading legal awareness, legal research, drafting, representation of cases before the court of law under the DSLSA empanelled lawyers, officials said.

DSLSA, besides the supervision of students for conducting surveys of jail inmates, will appoint an advocate in each of 16 jails of Delhi for this purpose. After the certification of the services of the students, they will be paid Rs 300 per day conveyance allowance, the statement said.

The Delhi Prisons will provide legal access to the inmates under guided supervision and accessibility to the students with them, it said.