Williamnagar: The District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), East Garo Hills, had received funds under the Meghalaya Victim Compensation Scheme for payment to the victims and dependants or members of the family who have suffered atrocities resulting from crimes.
In an official communiqué issued in this regard, the Secretary of the DLSA, informed that an amount of Rs. 2.85 lakhs had been disbursed to the victims under the scheme on 24 June.
The Secretary further urged the victims of atrocities to come forward and avail the benefits under the scheme through the DLSA.
As per the Atrocity Act, Atrocity is “an expression commonly used to refer to crimes against Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) in India”. It “denotes the quality of being shockingly cruel and inhumane, whereas the term 'crime' relates to an act punishable by law”.
Anybody committing an offence under the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860) punishable with imprisonment for a term of ten years or more against a person or property knowing that such person is a member of a Scheduled Caste or a Scheduled Tribe or such property belongs to such member.
It may be mentioned that District Legal Services Authority provides free and competent legal aid in the nature of counseling and legal advice as well as free legal services in the conduct of cases before Courts and Tribunals.
As per the Article 39A-Equal Justice and free Legal Aid-"The State shall secure that the operation of the legal system promotes justice on a basis of equal opportunity, and shall, in particular, provide free legal aid, by suitable legislation or schemes or in any other way, to ensure that opportunities for securing justice are not denied to any citizen by reason of economic or other disabilities"
Articles 14 and 22(1) also make it obligatory for the State to ensure equality before the law and a legal system which promotes justice on a basis of equal opportunity to all.