Legal services clinic for senior citizens to open in Cachar on August 22

way2barak, Aug 21: The District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), Cachar, will inaugurate a Legal Services Clinic for senior citizens on August 22 providing them with a dedicated avenue to seek legal assistance, understand their rights and access available mechanisms for redressal of grievances.

The clinic will be established at the Appellate Tribunal constituted under the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007 where the District Commissioner, Cachar serves as the Presiding Officer. The initiative is expected to make legal assistance more accessible to elderly persons, particularly those who may find it difficult to navigate legal and administrative procedures on their own.

The inauguration programme will be followed by an interaction involving judicial officers, senior citizens, representatives of the district administration and police administration, SDO (Civil), ward commissioners and other stakeholders. The interaction will focus on issues relating to the welfare and protection of senior citizens, access to justice and the need for better coordination among institutions dealing with their concerns.

The programme will be attended by Hon’ble Mr. Justice Michael Zothankhuma, Judge, Gauhati High Court and Executive Chairman, Assam State Legal Services Authority; Hon’ble Mr. Justice Manish Choudhury, Judge, Gauhati High Court and Portfolio Judge, Cachar District Judiciary; Hon’ble Mr. Justice Kaushik Goswami, Judge, Gauhati High Court; and Shri Debasish Bhattacharjee, Member Secretary, Assam State Legal Services Authority.

For many elderly persons, particularly those requiring assistance in matters concerning maintenance, property, family disputes or other legal grievances, the first challenge is often knowing where to approach and how to proceed. The new clinic is intended to bridge that gap by providing information on legal rights, entitlements, legal aid and available avenues for seeking relief.

It is important to note that as part of the programme, wheelchairs and walking sticks will also be distributed among identified senior citizens and beneficiaries. The assistance is expected to provide practical support to elderly persons who require mobility aids in their daily lives.

The post inauguration meeting will also provide a platform for senior citizens to directly interact with judicial and administrative authorities and place their concerns before the officials concerned. Discussions are expected to cover issues affecting the everyday lives of elderly persons and ways to improve coordination between the judiciary, administration, police and community-level representatives.

The DLSA, Cachar further stated that the Legal Services Clinic would work towards ensuring that senior citizens can obtain legal assistance and information through a simple and accessible process. The broader objective is to help elderly persons understand their legal rights and make it easier for them to approach the appropriate authority when they require assistance.

This is stated in a press release issued by the Regional office of Information & Public Relations Barak valley Zone Silchar Assam.