Srinagar, Jun 13: District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) Srinagar, under the guidance of Tasleem Arief, Principal District and Sessions Judge/Chairman DLSA Srinagar, conducted an inspection of Central Jail Srinagar and the Prison Legal Aid Clinic on Friday.
The primary objective of the visit was to assess the living conditions of the inmates and review the overall functioning of the jail and legal aid mechanisms in place.
The inspection was carried out by Tasleem Arief, Principal District and Sessions Judge, accompanied by Sajad Ur Rehman, Secretary DLSA Srinagar, officials and Legal Aid Defence Counsels of DLSA Srinagar.
During the inspection, the team visited various key sections of the jail including the Legal Aid Clinic, Welfare Block, Vocational Training Centre, Computer Training Centre, Music and Fine Arts Centre, Calligraphy Centre, Jail Hospital, Kitchen Area, Women’s Block, and the dedicated Women-Centric Tailoring Centre.
The team paid special attention to the Medical Centre, with a particular focus on the de-addiction facilities available to the inmates.
The inspection was also joined by Sheikh Zulfikar Azad, Senior Superintendent, Central Jail Srinagar; Deputy Superintendent; medical officers; and prison staff. Together, they visited all the barracks and interacted directly with the inmates, including women prisoners, to obtain first-hand insights into their concerns and the quality of services provided.
Tasleem Arief and the team attentively listened to the grievances and feedback shared by the inmates, reaffirming the commitment of DLSA Srinagar to safeguard the rights and dignity of prisoners. The interaction provided a crucial platform for inmates to voice their needs and ensured transparency and responsiveness in the justice delivery system within custodial institutions.
In addition, Chairman DLSA Srinagar also interacted with Para Legal Volunteers posted at the Prison Legal Aid Clinic. He reviewed their functioning and emphasized the importance of their role in ensuring continuous access to justice for inmates. He encouraged the PLVs to remain proactive, compassionate and vigilant in addressing the legal needs of the prison population.
In addition to the jail inspection, Principal District and Sessions Judge Srinagar, along with Secretary DLSA Srinagar, also conducted inspection of Legal Aid Clinic at University of Kashmir.
The purpose of these visits was to evaluate the effectiveness and outreach of the legal aid services being provided at these institutions, and to strengthen coordination among stakeholders for timely and accessible legal assistance. The officials interacted with legal aid providers and stakeholders at each location to ensure that the clinics are functioning efficiently and meeting the legal needs of the beneficiaries.
This series of inspections reflects the sustained efforts of DLSA Srinagar towards promoting legal empowerment, humane treatment, and institutional accountability within custodial and public welfare institutions.
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