KELSA to launch early access to justice protocol today

From now onwards, no need to panic when police ask you to be present at some police station for questioning. You would get the support of lawyers at all the police stations across the State, thanks to the early access to justice protocol, introduced by the Kerala State Legal Services Authority (KELSA).

On reaching the police station, the officials are expected to hand over a charter of rights that is available for every person. The rights of persons during the pre-arrest stage and while being arrested will be explained in the charter.

“You have the right to know why the police have called you for interrogation and the right to know what the police think you have done. You have the right not to answer the question, which have the effect of self-incrimination. You also have the right to have a lawyer present if the police interview you. You can also avail yourselves of free legal assistance from the nearest legal service authority,” reads the charter.

One lawyer will be put in charge of a cluster of four police stations in a locality and the service of the lawyer will be available round-the-clock. The lawyers will be paid by the authority for their service, says K.T. Nizar Ahammed, the secretary of KELSA.

The lawyers will assist the arrestees in filing bail application and furnishing bail bonds.

Every person who is arrested has the right to be informed about the grounds for arrest and the right to bail. No one shall be denied the right to inform his friends or relative about the arrest and the place of detection. The right to medical examination by a medical officer or a registered medical practitioner soon after the arrest cannot be denied for the arrested, he said.

Every person thus arrested also has the right to be produced before a competent magistrate within 24 hours of the arrest. The charter of rights details all the rights that are available for the arrested and persons who are summoned to the police stations, says Mr. Ahammed.

The initiative is expected to legally empower the citizens besides curbing the illegal practices of custodial torture. The rights are listed in English, Malayalam, Tamil and Hindi in the charter. It would be the poor and the marginalised sections of the society and migrant labourers that are likely to be benefited by the programme, he says.

Kerala Chief Justice S. Manikumar will launch the programme at a function to be held at the Kerala High Court Auditorium at 9.30 a.m. on Thursday. C.K. Abdul Rehim, the executive chairman of KELSA, and State Police Chief Loknath Behra will attend.