Says judiciary keen to protect traditional methods of dispute resolution in Nagaland
Supreme Court judge Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul said judiciary was keen to protect the traditional methods of dispute resolution of the land.
Inaugurating Legal Service Clinic (LSC) at Patkai Christian College, Seithekema, Chumoükedima on Sunday, he pointed out that there were many ways of resolving disputes, while noting that Nagaland had a history of resolving disputes through traditional methods.
Justice Kaul said the idea was not to replace these methods, but to learn from them that were in the society. “So, the work of Legal Services Authority spreads to attending to small legal needs and issues which may not be strictly called litigation but can also have the potentiality of meeting the needs,” he underscored.
Kaul, who is also executive chairman of National Legal Services Authority, mentioned that if there were no court institutions, people would take disputes in their own hands, leading to violence. He mentioned that the method of resolution also helped in keep litigations out of courts, especially in view of the number of litigations pending in the country.
“It is important that we resolve disputes rather than take every litigation through a process,” he stressed, adding that many personal and social issues were resolved out of courts through old or new methodology in which there was scope for listening to both parties and both the lawyers and the parties were able to give their views.
Keeping in mind the motto of Legal Services Authority “Access to justice for all”, the judge emphasised that the culture of settling disputes should begin from educational institutions, which would help in building a better society without impeding interests of others and recognising where the boundary line lay and why the issue was prevailing.
He hoped that LSC would not only serve this purpose, but also had the added advantage to spread legal awareness and provide legal assistance to the socially and economically backward sections.
In his address, Gauhati High Court, Kohima Bench judge and Nagaland State Legal Services Authority (NSLSA) executive chairman Justice Lanusungkum Jamir reiterated that the legal services was to develop and promote a culture of conciliation instead of litigation so that people of the State could resolve their disputes and differences in the spirit of goodwill and brotherhood.
He said the legal aid scheme in the State must seek the help of local body institutions and also district administration for creating legal awareness among the people.
He explained that the LSCs were not just for legal authorities, but for the benefit of the whole society and termed para-legal volunteers and panel lawyers as the backbone of legal services whose vibrant services would give momentum to the scheme. “Their sincerity and honesty is required to help villagers, students and downtrodden persons of the society access the benefits and rights entitled,” he added.
With the setting up of LSC at Patkai Christian College, Jamir disclosed that the number of LSCs in the State had risen to 132. He hoped that through the LSC at the college, knowledge of legal services would spread among the people.
Speaking on the occasion, Gauhati High, Court Kohima judge Justice Songkhupchung Serto said it was a significant and historical day not only for Nagaland but for the entire Northeast. He remarked that the setting up LSC at the college would help people of the area to get things done through lawful means.
“I have no doubt that it is going to add a new dimension to the college and impact the society. It will help in empowerment of the people,” he added.
Margaret Shishak School of Music presented NSLSA theme song, while Spring Buds Children’s Home, Dimapur presented a special song on the occasion.
Patkai Christian College principal Dr Thepfuvilie Pierü gave the welcome address and NSLSA member secretary Victor Sema pronounced the vote of thanks. This was stated in a press release.