New Delhi [India], March 27 (ANI): Supreme Court judges, Justices BR Gavai and Ujjal Bhuyan will visit Arunachal Pradesh for mega legal awareness programme 'camp-cum-sewa apke dwar' on March 29 and 30.

Aimed at strengthening legal outreach and awareness among tribal communities in Dirang, Bomdila, West Kameng District and Tawang of Arunachal Pradesh, Justice Gavai, who is also Executive Chairman of National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), will visit there along with Justice Bhuyan.

'India's tribal population has historically lived in remote and self-sufficient environments, often isolated from mainstream governance and legal frameworks. Legal aid is provided to members of Scheduled Tribes (STs) under Section 12(a) of the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987. This provision mandates legal service institutions to bridge the gap between tribal communities and the justice system by ensuring access to rights, benefits, legal aid, and other legal services. In 2024 alone, over 1.3 lakh tribal individuals benefitted from free legal aid, reinforcing NALSA's commitment to justice for all,' a statement from NALSA stated.

'In Arunachal Pradesh, as per the 2011 Census, over 68 per cent of the population belongs to tribal communities, highlighting the pressing need for targeted legal initiatives to safeguard their rights and ensure their welfare,' it said.

Arunachal Pradesh State Legal Services Authority (APSLSA) under the aegis of NALSA, in collaboration with District Legal Services Authorities (DLSAs), the District Administration, Gaon Burahs, Self-Help Groups (SHGs), and the District Child Protection Unit, West Kameng District, is organising Mega Legal Awareness Programme Camp on March 29 and 30.

'These camps are being organised for dissemination of information to the tribal communities for their legal empowerment under various key laws such as the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, the Assam Frontier (Administration of Justice) Regulation, 1945, and the Arunachal Pradesh Civil Court Act, 2021,' NALSA said.

The focus would also be on NALSA Schemes - the NALSA (Protection and Enforcement of Tribal Rights) Scheme, 2015, APSLSA schemes and other Central and State welfare schemes.

Participants will also receive on-the-spot legal assistance, enabling immediate access to legal aid, grievance redressal, and welfare benefits.

As part of their visit, Justice Gavai and Justice Bhuyan will also visit a jail and a children's home in Tawang, engaging with vulnerable groups to assess their legal needs and ensure access to justice.

These camps underscore NALSA's steadfast commitment to upholding the constitutional promise of social, economic, and political justice.

'By reaching the tribal grassroots, NALSA reaffirms its dedication to ensuring legal empowerment and welfare for tribal communities, bridging the justice gap, and securing their fundamental rights,' NALSA's statement read.

A delegation of six Supreme Court judges led by Justice Gavai visited relief camps in violence affected Manipur on March 22 to strengthen legal and humanitarian support. (ANI)