New Delhi, Justice Surya Kant, Judge- Supreme Court and Chairman, SCLSC interacted with all the Chairpersons of SLSAs and HCLSCs of India through virtual mode. More than 4200 prisoners have been identified who are in need of Legal Aid to file SLPs in the Supreme Court and are willing to avail legal services from SCLSC as part of this special initiative.

The meeting was held as a follow up of the campaign launched by the Chairman SCLSC, in January 2025, to identify the prisoners in need of Legal Aid and to provide them Legal Aid to file appeal/ SLPs in the Supreme Court. This Campaign was launched in all jails by involving DG/ IG prisons and High Court Legal Services Committees (HCLSCs) of all States.

This 3-month long exercise in the jails was to identify the following inmates.
i. Whose criminal appeal has been dismissed by the High Court.
ii. Who have served more than half of sentence and prayer for bail has been rejected by High Court.
iii. Who have been denied benefit of remission and the challenge in the High Court has also been rejected.

More than 4200 prisoners have been identified who are in need of Legal Aid to file SLPs in the Supreme Court and are willing to avail legal services from SCLSC as part of this special initiative.


Justice Surya Kant, in today’s meeting impressed upon Chairpersons of SLSAs and HCLSCs to send the paper books including certified copies of the impugned orders/ judgements to the SCLSC immediately so that Appeals/ SLPs may be filed without delay. ‘This should not be one time affair, but all the SLSAs and HCLSCs should conduct such campaign on regular basis to identify inmates in need of Legal Aid from Legal Services Institutions’, Chairman stressed. He further added that it is important to keep
all legal aided inmates updated about the progress of his/her case in the Court.


Justice Surya Kant laid out his vision to bring about a robust system where the moment a person enters jail, he/she must get all the information as to their right to Legal Services and how to avail the same from the concerned Legal Services Institution. Such
inmates must get Legal Services on day one in the jail.

Justice Surya Kant requested the Chairpersons of SLSAs and HCLSCs to monitor the campaign till the last document is sent by their respective HCLSC/ SLSA.