New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday directed the Delhi State Legal Services Authority (DSLSA) and other authorities to consider steps to expand implementation of its scheme to place Para-Legal Volunteers (PLVs) in 50 police stations to aid people in instances involving missing children and crimes against children and how the Supreme Court’s directions will be taken forward in the matter.
The court had, on January 27, directed the DSLSA to produce a roadmap.
A division bench of Justices Siddharth Mridul and Anup Jairam Bhambhani was hearing a criminal reference to streamline the functioning of the juvenile justice delivery system under the Juvenile Justice Act and the Rules framed therein.
In September of last year, the Supreme Court had also issued an order directing all State Legal Services Authorities and Legal Services Authorities of Union Territories to develop schemes as soon as possible for the appointment of PLVs in police stations to work on cases.
It had directed the circulation of the DSLSA’s scheme to be used by the states and UTs as a model for framing the schemes.
Counsel appearing for Delhi Government, Police and DSLSA submitted that as per the apex court’s directions, the question of pilot project coming to an end does not arise.
The bench noted that the pilot scheme is to be implemented as a regular scheme throughout Delhi after the approval of the Supreme Court.
“Accordingly, the parties shall now consider the steps to be taken for expanding the scheme of empanelment of para-legal volunteers in all police stations within Delhi,” the bench said.
However, it granted liberty to the parties to file report in case there are any hindrances to the development process.
Delhi government counsel submitted that to speed up the process, the DSLSA may submit estimated budgetary requirements to the government for the same to be considered at appropriate level or its disbursal.
The bench listed the matter for the next hearing on February 24.
“What more is required is to implement the scheme in letter and spirit. Come up with a roadmap,” Justice Mridul had earlier told DSLSA Special Secretary Sushant Changotra.
The court had said that it is within the mandate of the Juvenile Justice Act and has to be done on a war footing.
–IANS
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