Chandigarh.10th February 2021: Under the “Campaign for enhancing Legal Services to Women inmates and their accompanying children in Model Jail, Chandigarh” reached a milestone towards reaching out to Female Prisoners and their Children by setting up “Nyay Seva Kendra – One Stop Solution Centre for Female Prisoners” in the Female Barrack of Model Jail, Chandigarh.
The Nyay Seva Kendra was inaugurated by Hon’ble Mr. Justice Jaswant Singh, Judge Punjab & Haryana High Court-cum-Executive Chairman, State Legal Services Authority, UT, Chandigarh,today in the presence of Sh. Vijay Singh, Ld District & Sessions Judge, Chandigarh, Sh. Mahavir Singh, Member Secretary, State Legal Services Authority, UT, Chandigarh Sh. Ombir Singh IPS, IG Prisons, UT Chandigarh, Sh. Virat, HCS, Joint IG-cum-Superintendent Jail and Sh. Ashok Kr. Mann, Chief Judicial Magistrate-cum-Secretary, District Legal Services Authority, UT, Chandigarh.
Speaking during the inauguration Hon’ble Mr. Justice Jaswant Singh, Judge Punjab & Haryana High Court said that “This centre is the first of its kind and only integrated centre in the country that is bringing together 5 different departments to serve the Female Prisoners and their Children. He further said that he is hopeful that these convergent efforts would go a long way in achieving the objective of “Access to Justice” as is the motto of Legal Services Authority. This centre will not only look after the needs of the prisoners while in the Jail, but efforts will be made to link them to suitable rehabilitation services upon release.
Another facility that was visited today by Hon’ble Mr. Justice Jaswant Singh was a “Library cum Reading Room”. During the campaign some female prisoners had expressed their need for a Library cum reading room. Speaking during the occasion, Sh Ombir Singh informed that when the matter of the library was brought to the attention of Justice Jaswant Singh, he had expressed his desire to take up the issue with the Prison Authorities urgently. The matter was discussed it was felt that the Library cum reading room be also set up for the female prisoners.
Based on the needs expressed during the campaign, the matter had been placed before Hon’ble Mr. Justice Jaswant Singh, Judge Punjab & Haryana High Court-cum-Executive Chairman, State Legal Services Authority, UT, Chandigarh and he has been pleased to start a “Nyay Seva Kendra – One Stop Solution Centre for Female Prisoners” to be set up in the women’s barracks that will be a multi service centre that will be run by inputs from various departments. The centre will be run from Monday to Friday between 09.00 am and 12 noon
The Nyay Seva Kendra, will be managed by different departments on different days of the week providing services to the Female Children and their children as per the schedule
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All the Departments have been requested to kindly depute a senior female staff member to attend the Nyay Seva Kendra and assist the female prisoners and their accompanying children. It has also requested to share pamphlets, posters and other material that may be displayed in the centre to make the women aware.
This is the first centre of its kind in the country that will be run in convergent manner Chandigarh will showcase this model at a National Level through National Legal Services Authority, New Delhi.
