Threat to human rights highest in police stations, NALSA must conduct sensitisation programmes for Police: Chief Justice of India NV Ramana

Threat to human rights and bodily integrity is the highest in police stations, Chief Justice of India (CJI) NV Ramana remarked on Sunday, urging the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) to conduct sensitisation programmes for Police forces across the country..Despite having constitutional declarations and guarantees, there is still lack of effective legal representation at police stations for arrested and detained persons, he said."To keep police in check, information of free legal aid and help is a step in the right direction. NALSA must also carry out police sensitisation programmes," the CJI said.The CJI was speaking at an event organised by NALSA releasing their vision and mission statement and launch of the 'Legal services' mobile application, their official mobile application.CJI Ramana in his address highlighted the concerns of human rights and dignity..He stated that custodial torture and other police atrocities are issues still prevalent in the society. "Threat to human rights and bodily integrity is the highest in police stations. Going by the recent reports, even the privileged are not spared third degree treatment," he remarked. To keep police excesses in check, the CJI opined that dissemination of information about the constitutional right to legal aid and availability of free legal aid is a necessary. "Installation of display boards and outdoor hoardings in every police station and prison is a step in this direction," he said. He, however, suggested that NALSA ought to carry out the nationwide sensitisation of police officers.."If we want to remain as a society governed by rule of law, it is imperative for us to bridge the gap of accessibility to justice between the highly privileged and the most vulnerable," he further stated.The CJI also spoke about the issue of accessibility of justice, an issue particularly affecting people in rural areas. In order to ensure justice is accessible to everyone, it is necessary to work hand in hand with various winds of the government, he opined. .The CJI also applauded the decision taken by NALSA to engage services of the existing postal network to spread awareness regarding the availability of free legal aid services and to increase the outreach of legal services through the eligible category of persons.This, he said, could "bridge the gap between people who are deprived of access to justice due to geographical constraints and reduce the divide between the rural and urban population"..CJI Ramana, therefore, appealed to all lawyers, especially seniors, to dedicate a percentage of their working hours to help those in need. "No institution, howsoever noble it may be, can be successful unless it is ably aided by all the stakeholders to turn it into a public movement," CJI said..Pertinently, he also made an appeal to media who he believed had unparalleled capacity to spread the message of service.