SC Judge Justice SK Kaul Inaugurates Legal Services Clinic At Dimapur In Nagaland, Emphasizes On Need To Promote ADR

A Legal Services Clinic was inaugurated at Patkai Christian College Seithekema : Chumoukedima, Nagaland on 11th December, 2022, Sunday by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul, Judge, Supreme Court of India, and Executive Chairman, National Legal Services Authority. 

The newly inaugurated legal services clinic has become the 119th Legal Services Clinic established in the State of Nagaland by Dimapur District Legal Services Authority under the aegis of Nagaland State Legal Services Authority.

The inauguration commenced with the playing of theme song followed by the address by Justice Songkhupchung Serto, Judge, Gauhati High Court & Chairman, High Court Legal Services Committee, Kohima and Justice Lanusungkum Jamir, Judge, Gauhati High Court & Executive Chairman, Nagaland State Legal Services Authority.

Justice Kaul delivered the inaugural address. He emphasized upon the importance of mediation as an efficacious alternative mode of dispute resolution, and stressed on its preference over litigation in speedy disposal of pending cases and to deliver justice.

Justice Kaul highlighted the merits of mediation, in that it could help get to the bottom of the dispute, resolve its genesis and also bring about a holistic change and an amicable environment for resolution of dispute to the opposite parties. He further added that in a dispute, mediation prompts the parties to come up with a solution unlike in litigation where the solution is imposed on them.

In this context, he urged the law students involved in the legal aid clinic to spread legal awareness and ensure that mediation permeates to every nook and corner, in a bid to encourage mediation at local level. He stated that law school-based legal aid clinics serves three basic purposes, first to impart practical understanding of legal practice among the students, second to generate awareness on legal rights, duties and social justice policies of the government and third to bridge the gap between the poor and vulnerable sections of the society and the justice system by assisting them in their legal issues.

Speaking about the newly inaugurated legal services clinic in the State, Justice Kaul added that this clinic would provide a centre for practical and professional training for students of law.