JAMMU: Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court Chief Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey on Wednesday said legal services institutions are bound to provide free legal aid to prisoners as timely and inexpensive justice is their right.
Justice Magrey was speaking at a programme at the Amphalla district jail to celebrate National Legal Services Day.
"Timely and inexpensive justice is the right of every prisoner and the legal services institutions across the UTs (union territories) of J&K and Ladakh are bound to provide competent and free legal aid to the prisoners," the chief justice said.
He also interacted with inmates of the jail and assured redressal of their genuine grievances.
The day is being observed as a part of the pan-India campaigns: 'Empowerment of Citizens through Legal Awareness and Outreach' and 'Haq humara bhi to hai@75'.
The campaigns are meant to bridge the gap between the institutions and the underprivileged by spreading legal awareness, ensuring delivery of legal entitlements to eligible beneficiaries and for providing basic legal assistance to persons confined in prisons and childcare institutions respectively to commemorate the 75th-year of Independence, an official spokesman said.
He said legal awareness camps about the rights and remedies available to prisoners were organised in all jails and childcare institutions in the UTs of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh to commemorate National Legal Services Day.
The focus of the campaign is also to provide free legal counseling and assistance, including drafting and filing of appropriate applications, the spokesman said, adding the campaign would conclude on November 13.