Legal Aid Clinic
Department of Laws, Panjab University, Chandigarh
(Group-I)
Monday (3.00 pm to 4.00 pm.)
Prof. Meenu Paul
Prof. Devinder Singh
Prof. Geeta Joshi
Dr. Deepak Jindal(G/F)
Dr. Vibhuti Nakata(P/T)
Dr. Rohtash(P/T)
Mr. Rohit Karwasra(G/F)
Ms. Ajayita Sandhu(G/F)
Ms. Aneesha (G/F)
Ms.Kushbir Kaur Bhullar(G/F)
Ms. Dipti Bansal(G/F)
Ms. Kanieka Arora(G/F)
Ms. Shrurti Dhahiya(JRF)
Ms. Kanika Keasr(JRF)
Ms. Tanveer Kaur(JRF)
Mr. Rahul Sharma(JRF)
Ms. Harpreet Kaur(JRF)
Complaints relating to commission Police/ Govt. Etc.
2.30 p.m.-4.00 p.m.
(Group-II)
Wednesday (3.00 pm to 4.00 pm.)
Prof. Vandana A. Kumar
Prof. Jyoti Rattan
Dr. Babita Pathania
Dr. Neetu Gupta(P/T)
Dr. Reena Kansal (P/T)
Dr. Sonia(P/T)
Mr. Vivek Arora(P/T)
Dr. Surekha Taneja Thukral (G/F)
Ms. Aishwaraya Jagga(G/F)
Mr. Abhimanyu Singh Negi (G/F)
Ms. Gauri Bajaj(G/F)
Mr. Kumar Gautam(G/F)
Ms. Rozy Matania(JRF)
Mr. Dasvinder Singh(JRF)
Ms. Navpreet Kaur(JRF)
Mr. Gaganpreet Singh(JRF)
Ms. Sandli Brice(JRF)
Commercial Arbitration, Corporate and Contractors, Service matters
2.30 p.m.-4.00 p.m.
(Group-III)
Friday (3.00 pm to 4.00 pm.)
Prof. Supinder Kaur
Dr. Shipra Gupta Dr. Dinesh Kumar
Dr. Benny Paul(G/F)
Dr. Manisha Garg(P/T)
Mr. Meherpreet Singh (G/F)
Ms. Nidhi Law (G/F)
Ms. Shivani Sharma(G/F)
Mr. Gurjinder Singh(G/F)
Ms. Shweta(G/F)
Ms. Rupinder Kaur(G/F)
Mr. Ajay Kundu(JRF)
Ms. Kulraj Kumari(JRF)
Mr. Saumil Goyal(JRF)
Ms. Anu Chaudhary(JRF)
Mr. Ashish(JRF)
Family Matters Arbitration Etc. Agreements/ Contract
2.30 p.m.-4.00 p.m.
Legal Services includes providing Free Legal Aid to those weaker sections of the society who fall within the purview of Section 12 of the Legal Services Authority Act, 1987. It also entails creating legal awareness by spreading legal literacy through legal awareness camps, print media, digital media and organizing Lok Adalats for the amicable settlement of disputes which are either pending or which are yet to be filed, by way of compromise. NALSA also undertakes necessary steps by way of social action litigation with regards to any matter of special concern to the weaker sections of the society. Legal services also encompasses facilitating the beneficiaries to get their entitlements under various government schemes, policies and legislations.
The sections of the society as enlisted under Section 12 of the Legal Services Authorities Act are entitled for free legal services, they are:
Yes, a woman is entitled for free legal aid irrespective of her income or financial status. A woman is eligible to apply for free legal aid by virtue of Section 12(c) of the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987.
A child is eligible for free legal aid till the age of majority i.e. 18 years. This is effectuated by Section 12 (c) of the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987.
Yes, you are eligible for free legal aid if you fulfill the criteria under Section 12 (h) of the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987. It states that those persons who have annual income of less than the amount prescribed by the respective State Government, if the case is before any court other than the Supreme Court, and less than Rs. 5 Lakhs, if the case is before the Supreme Court, are eligible for free legal aid. The income ceiling limit has been prescribed by different States/Union Territories.
As per Section 13(2) of the Act, an affidavit made by a person as to his income is generally regarded as sufficient for making him/her eligible for the entitlement of legal services under the Act, unless the concerned Authority has reasons to question or disbelief such affidavit.
No, free legal aid is not confined to cases before the subordinate Courts. Legal Aid is provided to the needy from the lowest Court to the Supreme Court of India. Legal Aid Counsel represent such needy persons before the lower Courts, High Courts and also before the Supreme Court of India.
According to Section 13 (1) of the Act, any individual who satisfies any criteria under Section 12 is entitled to receive legal services, provided that the concerned Legal Services Authority is satisfied that such person has a genuine case to prosecute or defend the matter. There is hence no bar as to which kind of cases one can apply and not apply for. All kinds of cases are included as long as the individual satisfies the eligibility under Section 12 of the Act.
Yes, it is possible to get any kind of legal consultation under free legal aid/services.
The Legal Aid Clinic of Department of Laws, Panjab University, works to provide free legal aid to the poor and helpless people.
Article 39A of the Constitution of India provides that State shall secure that the operation of the legal system promotes justice on a basis of equal opportunity, and shall in particular, provide free legal aid, by suitable legislation or schemes or in any other way, to ensure that opportunities for securing justice are not denied to any citizen by reason of economic or other disability. Articles 14 and 22(1) also make it obligatory for the State to ensure equality before law and a legal system which promotes justice on a basis of equal opportunity to all. Legal aid strives to ensure that constitutional pledge is fulfilled in its letter and spirit and equal justice is made available to the poor, downtrodden and weaker sections of the society.
The Legal Aid Clinic of Department of Laws, Panjab University was inaugurated on April 3, 2012 by Hon'ble Mr. Justice M.M. Kumar in presence of Hon'ble Mr. Justice Jasbir Singh, Judges Punjab and Haryana High Court. The clinic works to provide free legal aid to the poor and helpless people. The clinic is established under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 and works in association with the State Legal Services Authorities (SLSA), Sector 9, Chandigarh. The Hon'ble Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High court is the Patron-in-Chief of the SLSA and one of the senior judges adheres to the post of the Executive Chairman of the authority. Presently, Hon'ble Mr. Justice Ravi Shanker Jha, Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court, Chandigarh is the Patron-in-Chief and Hon'ble Mr. Justice Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia, Judge, Punjab and Haryana High Court is the Executive Chairman.
The Legal Aid Society launched the Online Legal Aid Platform of Department of Laws on 21st June, 2021 in the presence of Retired Hon'ble Mr. Justice Jasbir Singh, Judge, Panjab and Haryana High Court and Professor Raj Kumar, Vice Chancellor, Panjab University, as a part of its initiative to provide free legal aid in these harsh COVID times. The concept of community outreach has been of paramount importance in the committee as the Society believes that individuals equipped with pristine knowledge of the law are not to remain in ivory towers but to cater to social realities and needs.
The Legal Aid Clinic, Department of Laws provides a wide variety of free legal services which include legal advice & consultation, mediation, conciliation and arbitration. These services don't carry any hidden costs or expenses and are entirely free of cost. If the applicant requests, all these are services are also available online through video conferencing.