DLSA to host ‘legal summit' on Saturday
The Thiruvananthapuram District Legal Services Authority (TDLSA) will organise its annual conference 'Legal Summit 2025' on Saturday. Kerala High Court Chief Justice and patron-in-chief of the Kerala Legal Services Authority (KeLSA) Nitin Jamdar will inaugurate the summit at 10.30 a.m. at Tagore Theatre and deliver the inaugural address.
High Court judge and KeLSA executive chairman A. Muhamed Mustaque will deliver the keynote address and High Court judge Raja Vijayaraghavan V. the special address. The summit will include legal awareness sessions on 'Free and competent legal services – an overview' and 'Gender sensitisation and women-centric laws.'
Awards to be given
It will honour individuals and institutions for their contributions to legal services with awards. A legal awareness play scripted by the TDLSA and the Kerala Police will also be staged. The awards will be given in 10 categories: best taluk legal services committee award to Taluk Legal Services Committee, Neyyattinkara; best panel lawyer award to K.S. Ashok; best paralegal volunteer award to I. Thahira; best block panchayat award to Vamanapuram; best panchayat awards to Anchuthengu, Andoorkonam, and Nagaroor; best police station award to Vizhinjam station; best legal aid clinic award to Government Mental Health Centre, Peroorkada; Best 'Samvada' performer school award to Dr. Ambedkar Memorial Model Residential HSS for Girls, Kattela; best legal aid clinic at a law college award for the clinic at Government Law College here; and best child care institution award to Sree Chitra Home.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
6 hours ago
- The Hindu
Activists call for strict measures so that green lung spaces can breathe effectively
In the wake of shrinking urban green spaces, activists have called for a proper identification, mapping and fencing of the areas earmarked for parks and Open Space Reservation land so that they are used for public purposes. They stressed the need to place information boards regarding the purpose of the lands in order to protect these and ensure it was used only for public purposes. If these spaces were left unguarded, then the land could be encroached upon or the land could turn into dumping yards, they said. Advocate R. Karunanidhi said as per Rules, the land developers should earmark 10% of the total extent as 'Open Space Reservation' land to be used for public purposes such as public parks and playgrounds. In March, four residents of Ponmani Garden North in Uthangudi in Madurai had filed a public interest litigation petition before the High Court seeking to restrain authorities from putting up any construction on the space earmarked for a park. The residents said the land in survey numbers under Uthangudi village was formed into a layout and it was approved by the authorities. The area that was specifically earmarked for a park was intended for recreational use of the residents. The park was used by the public, particularly by children for playing, and by elderly citizens for walking and relaxation. Under these circumstances, the residents said Corporation authorities had undertaken construction activities for a proposed pumping station. The residents said the loss of a dedicated public park will severely impact the quality of life in the locality and deprive them of an essential community space. The court ordered the status quo be maintained. After the Corporation told the court that the place earmarked for the park has not been used for any other purpose, the petition was closed. The High Court has been hearing a number of such petitions to restrain the authorities from using lands earmarked for parks for any other purposes. The court also directed the authorities to take necessary steps to maintain these parks. The Tamil Nadu Parks, Play-fields and Open space (Preservation and Regulation) Act, 1959 was enacted in the interest of the public to preserve and regulate parks, play-fields and open spaces, the court had observed. In January, to a query raised at the Madurai Corporation Council meeting with regard to the open space reservation and the space allocated for parks, the authorities said a zone wise list/maps earmarking such spaces was prepared. However, AIADMK Councillor Solairaja said they were yet to get such a list. In Dindigul, CPI (M) Councillor S. Ganesan alleged that a prime land in R.M. Colony earmarked as a children's playground has been encroached upon. He pointed out that as per records the land was earmarked as a children's playground at the time of formation of housing plot. He said the land was encroached upon by influential people. Though this was brought to the notice of the authorities, appropriate steps have not been taken to remove the encroachment so far, he said, adding that he had also served notices to the authorities. He said he will be filing a public interest litigation petition before the High Court in this regard. He pointed out that not just in R.M. Colony in the district, but in several places such spaces had been encroached upon. Offering a solution to prevent such incidents, he said there should be regular monitoring of such lands. The authorities should fence the land and place boards with information for the purpose it is intended to be used, he said. Activist V. P. Manikandan of Madurai said if necessary monitoring steps were not taken, such open spaces would turn into parking lots, waste dumping yards and also could be encroached upon. He added that awareness was required. While precautionary measures have been suggested by activists, the district administrations are doing their bit to improve green spaces in the respective districts. Madurai Corporation officials said sapling planting drives have been initiated to improve the urban lung spaces. In Dindigul, a cleanliness drive has been initiated and the authorities inspected the maintenance work being carried out in a park in R.M. Colony. Similarly, in Thoothukudi district, the Corporation had launched a green initiative through sapling plantation drives and park restoration works. Waste materials and invasive species were being removed as part of the initiative. The District Legal Services Authorities in Madurai, Dindigul, Theni, Ramanathapuram and Sivaganga have also undertook mega sapling plantation drives and awareness programmes recently. Recently, Sivaganga District Collector Asha Ajith's initiative to clean up water bodies and plant saplings around them has been getting huge response from philanthropists thus showing that people are concerned about preserving the eco-system. A senior official in Sivaganga said that governments alone cannot achieve results. With public participation, not only water bodies, but every single public place - be it in residential or commercial locations - can bring about a substantial change in preserving the environment.
New Indian Express
15 hours ago
- New Indian Express
Over 7,500 RTE quota students denied admission in Andhra; schools defy government, court orders
VIJAYAWADA: Despite clear directives from the State government and the High Court, several private unaided schools across Andhra Pradesh continue to defy Section 12(1)(C) of the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009, by refusing to admit underprivileged children entitled to 25% reservation in Class 1. As a result, more than 7,500 students allotted seats in the first round remain unadmitted. According to Samagra Shiksha officials, 37,427 applications were received under the RTE quota for Class I admissions. Of these, 28,561 were found eligible. In the first round of allotment, 23,118 students were granted seats, but only 15,541 joined. A second round has now allotted 8,583 seats, with admissions scheduled from June 21 to 28. Final figures will be available after this phase concludes. However, implementation of the Act remains patchy. Many schools are allegedly refusing to admit students, often citing a lack of official communication or pending fee reimbursements from the government. In one incident in Vijayawada, a parent said his son, selected in the first round, was denied entry by a reputed school. 'This is not an inn to serve everyone for free,' a staff member reportedly told him, despite the parent presenting the government order and court directives. Another parent said school managements claim their associations are still negotiating with the government for reimbursement clarity. 'The delay not only denies our children their right to education but also affects benefits like the Talliki Vandanam scheme, which has already closed for the year,' he added.
The Hindu
a day ago
- The Hindu
Ambedkar's portrait to find a place in all court halls of Karnataka
A photograph/portrait of the chief architect of the Constitution, B.R. Ambedkar, will be displayed at a prominent and suitable place in all the court halls of the High Court of Karnataka as well as in district judiciary across the State. A notification in this regard was issued by the High Court on June 19. A decision to this effect was taken in the meeting of the full court of the High Court of Karnataka recently after considering representations received from the general public, advocates, forums, and organisations, and the communications issued by the Government of Karnataka from time to time requesting the High Court to display the photograph/portrait of Ambedkar, said the notification.
