Shyam Sunder Das Award for Human Rights conferred

‘Legal aid, access to justice requires sincere activism’

CUTTACK: “In over all concept of access to justice, women are sidelined for which the laws like the Domestic Violence Act are not working in reality. Gender mainstreaming in the process of judicial action has to be ensured for equal justice,” said National Law University Vice-Chancellor Prof Chandra Krishna Murty while addressing the gathering on the occasion of 86th birth anniversary of late Shyam Sundar Das, a prominent Sarvodaya Leader and the founder president of Centre for Legal Aid to Poor (CLAP) here on Friday.

Giving away the first Shyam Sundar Das Award for Human Rights, Justice BK Mishra observed that lawyers have a significant role in bridging the gap between State Legal Aid System and the victims who are suffering in the invisible pockets. Justice Mishra conferred the award to Sidheswar Mohanty and Janmenjaya Katakiya, the practising advocates for their mission to sustain the access of marginalised people for justice. The award constituted a shawl, citation, memento and cash prize of Rs 25,000 each.

President of CLAP Dr Bikash Das observed that legal aid and access to justice requires a sincere activism which was practised by Shyam Sunder Das. Among others, former DGP Sarat Mishra, Utkal University law professor PK Sarkar, former CBI Judge Hrudaya Ballav Das and senior advocate Dr V Prithiraj spoke in the function.