GUWAHATI: The District Legal Services Authorities (DLSAs) in Assam, established in the year 1998, have been discharging their statutory mandate for nearly three decades without any official vehicles. Despite severe logistical constraints, the DLSAs have continuously worked to ensure that legal aid and services reach the marginalized and underprivileged sections of society.
Assam is a State characterized by diverse ad challenging geographical terrain. Large parts of the State are affected by recurrent floods every year, and in many regions, road conditions remain far from ideal. The mandate of the Legal Services Authorities extends far beyond court premises — to the remotest villages, flood relief camps, far-flung tea garden areas, char (riverine) regions, and other vulnerable pockets where access to justice is often a distant dream. Overcoming these hardships without dedicated vehicles has been a significant challenge for the DLSAs.
Recognizing that mobility is not a matter of convenience but a necessity for effective delivery of legal services, Justice Surya Kant, during his tenure as Executive Chairman of National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), permitted State Legal Services Authorities to procure Multi Utility Vehicles for each DLSA. Subsequently, Justice Vikram Nath, the present Executive Chairman of NALSA, also emphasized the importance of providing vehicles to the DLSAs to strengthen their outreach.
Pursuant to these directions, and under the guidance of Justice Ashutosh Kumar, Hon’ble the Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court and Executive Chairman, ASLSA, 33 Mahindra Bolero vehicles have been procured. These vehicles will be customized and deployed as Multi Utility Vehicles for the district judiciary to facilitate legal aid outreach activities.
With the induction of these vehicles, the DLSAs will now be better equipped to reach the last mile - ensuring that legal aid and justice delivery mechanisms effectively serve the marginalized, the underprivileged, and the voiceless sections of society across the State.
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