PULSA to ensure legal representation for all prisoners in Punjab, appeals for 406 convicts in jail
Caught in the shackles of circumstance, convicts and under-trials languishing unrepresented in Punjab’s jails, despite being entitled to free legal aid, are finally seeing legal recourse, as the Punjab State Legal Services Authority (PULSA) has filed criminal appeals in 406 cases on their behalf.
The surge of legal intervention draws momentum from the nationwide “Mission Mode” initiative, envisioned and set in motion under the guidance of Supreme Court Justice and Executive Chairman of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), Justice Surya Kant.
No longer merely an idea, the mission has led legal services institutions across the country to galvanise into action, determined to ensure inclusive and meaningful access to justice for prisoners who have remained undefended, often for years.
Justice Surya Kant has taken a personal and active interest in steering this and other campaigns across High Courts, including the Punjab and Haryana High Court – his parent court, which holds special significance for him.
In Punjab, the national momentum has translated into PULSA’s “Mission Mode Punjab,” aimed at ensuring that no convict entitled to free legal aid remains without representation before the law.
High Court Chief Justice and Patron-in-Chief of PULSA, Justice Sheel Nagu, and its Executive Chairman, Justice Deepak Sibal, are leading the movement in the state.
Guided by the principle that “justice must not only be accessible, but visible at the doorstep of the most vulnerable,” PULSA began by identifying 460 convicted prisoners across Punjab.
Appeals have already been filed in 406 of these cases, while the remaining matters are in the pipeline. Justice Sibal and his team have translated the national mission into practical, daily work on the ground in collaboration with District Legal Services Authorities and Taluk Legal Services Committees.
As part of the process, PULSA has facilitated the preparation and submission of “paper books” – or compilations of documents required for appeals – to the High Court Legal Services Committee, paving the way for the long-overdue appeals to proceed.
“This is not a one-time exercise. The process of filing such appeals is continuous and persistent so that legal aid is provided to prisoners who have long suffered in silence,” Justice Sibal asserted.
PULSA, in collaboration with the High Court Legal Services Committee, has also developed a standard operating procedure (SOP) to enable videoconferencing between legal aid counsel and jail inmates.
This initiative has established direct communication for prisoners whose cases are pending before the High Court. Nodal officers have been appointed under the SOP to ensure that no prisoner is excluded due to logistical barriers. Officials believe the bridge between counsel and convict will result in timely, effective representation and enhance the quality of justice delivery. Parallel to Mission Mode Punjab, PULSA has launched “Mission Parole Sahayata Abhiyan,” targeting another blind spot in the criminal justice system — timely parole relief for eligible convicts.
Legal Aid Clinics operating within jails identify prisoners eligible for parole and assist them in preparing and submitting applications. Prisoners are further supported in filing appeals or writ petitions before competent authorities or courts where parole is denied, ensuring that procedural hurdles do not shut the door on their legal remedies.
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