An Online Capacity Building Programme on the role of PLVs in legal services cum inter-legal aid clinic quiz competition for Para-Legal Volunteers [PLVs] of Tamenglong and Noney districts was held under the sponsorship of Manipur State Legal Services Authority and under the aegis of National Legal Services Authority on Monday.
District and Sessions Judge, Imphal West cum chairman of DLSA, Tamenglong Aribam Guneshwar stated that PLVs give legal services to grass root levels that cannot be reached out by judges and advocates.
Capacity building programme, training and orientation programme have been held from time to time for all the co-ordinators and PLVs of all legal aid clinics regarding common knowledge of law and procedure, government schemes both central and state, etc. so that they could sensitize public at large for their rights and duties as a responsible citizen.
He also emphasised regarding the importance of Lok Adalat to be held on May 14 wherein compoundable criminal cases, civil cases, both pre-litigation and pending court cases excluding divorce and heinous criminal cases like murder, rape etc. can be settled.
Assistant Professor Nongthombam Meena of Royal Academy of Law stated that PLVs who are public spirited and dedicated persons play a pivotal role in legal services and help people of their locality. They work under the control and supervision of the chairman and secretary of the concerned DLSA. They could conduct surveys in their adopted village so as to find out the persons/families who are in need of free legal aid; to help people in making cards under various Government Schemes; to sensitize the public at large about basic legal knowledge and circulate pamphlets etc. PLVs can settle disputes between the parties which are allowed by law. It appealed to all the PLVs to work sincerely and assist people in need for a better society, Meena said.
Thereafter, as a part of the programme, a quiz competition was conducted.