KATHMANDU: The House of Representatives on Thursday unanimously approved a proposal to consider the “Free Legal Aid Bill, 2083.”
Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Sobita Gautam had presented the proposal at the meeting.
Responding to questions raised by lawmakers during the principle-based discussion on the proposal, Minister Gautam said the government would expand free legal aid services to citizens’ doorsteps by involving both government and non-government sectors.
According to Gautam, applicants seeking free legal aid will be required to provide evidence showing that they are unable to afford legal remedies. The bill also proposes mobile legal aid camps to be operated in coordination with judicial committees at the local level.
The bill further provides for psychosocial counselling for people receiving free legal aid when necessary, access to specialist legal practitioners and sign language services, Gautam said.
The bill includes provisions for a Legal Aid Council, an executive committee and arrangements that can also be made at the provincial level. It also proposes district committees as initial-level bodies and a system for maintaining records of lawyers providing free legal aid.
Taking part in the principle-based discussion, lawmakers stressed the need to make free legal aid effective and of good quality. They said the bill should ensure that citizens are not deprived of access to legal remedies simply because of financial constraints once it is implemented.
Lawmakers also called for clarification on the role of government attorneys following the implementation of the bill, guarantees of quality services for people receiving free legal aid, and measures to encourage senior legal practitioners to provide free legal services.
They also called for reconsideration of provisions related to trainee lawyers, noting that interns currently provide a significant portion of free legal aid services.
Bharat Giri, Samiksha Baskota, Balawati Sharma, Yagya Mani Neupane, Saraswati Lama, Sulabh Kharel, Mohanlal Acharya, Ninukumari Karna, Ganesh Bahadur Bishwakarma, Bishwaraj Pokharel, Som Sharma and Ganga Chhantyal, among others, took part in the discussion.
Speaker Dol Prasad Aryal informed lawmakers that those wishing to propose amendments to the bill could register their notices with the parliamentary secretariat.
The next meeting of the House of Representatives has been scheduled for Monday, Ashoj 12, at 11 am.
Comment