On 9th November 2021, the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) organised a Legal Services Day celebration at Sharda University. Observed on the 9th of November every year, Legal Services Day was originally started by the Supreme Court of India in 1995 with the purpose of providing the weaker and poor sections of society with the help and support they need to attain justice.
The massive celebration held at Greater Noida’s Sharda University was attended by Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana, Law Minister Kiren Rijiju, Supreme Court judge Justice U.U. Lalit, Allahabad High Court Justice M.N. Bhandari, Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal of the Allahabad High Court and several other distinguished judges and lawyers.
N.V. Ramana, the Chief Justice of India and the Patron-in-Chief of NALSA addressed the students of Sharda University’s School of Law, saying that the students present at the celebration are doubly privileged as they are not only being educated at a premier institute but also being educated in law so that they can be the voices of those who cannot speak for themselves. He told aspiring lawyers to be keenly aware of the social realities surrounding them and deeply understand their role in changing those realities.
Justice Ramana commented on the importance of the role of law students in the legal aid movement. According to him, these students are vital in the quest of expanding the reach of legal services to every part of the country. He said that the notion of legal aid has now moved beyond the confines of courtrooms and has taken an array of forms like spreading legal literacy, social action litigation and legal awareness among other things.
During the event, Law Minister Kiren Rijiju also gave a speech, in which he commended the judges for their relentless dedication towards justice and unwavering sense of duty. He said that the judiciary and the government work as a team to keep India a robust democratic nation. He expressed his utmost confidence in the success of the legal aid awareness campaign launched by President Ram Nath Kovind, Justice Lalit and CJI Ramana. Minister Rijiju also said that if every member of our country begins prioritising constitutional duty over constitutional rights, there’s nothing that could stand in the way of that country’s path to greatness.
U.U. Lalit, Supreme Court Justice and the Executive Chairman of NALSA, emphasised the importance of spreading awareness about free legal aid. Rajesh Bindal, Allahabad High Court Chief Justice and Patron-in-Chief of the UP State Legal Services Authority (UPSLSA), commended Justice Lalit and CJI Ramana for launching the 6-week nationwide pan-India outreach campaign. All in all, this Legal Services Day celebration was a feast of knowledge and inspiration for not only the students and faculty at Sharda University but everyone who attended the event including numerous distinguished dignitaries.
