Threat to human rights highest in police stations, even privileged not spared, says CJI N V Ramana

Chief justice N V Ramana on Sunday expressed concern at custodial torture, saying the threat to human rights and bodily integrity are the highest in police stations and even the privileged are not spared third-degree treatment.

Maintaining that human rights and dignity are sacrosanct, the CJI said, "Custodial torture and other police atrocities are problems which still prevail in our society. In spite of constitutional declarations and guarantees, lack of effective legal representation at the police stations is a huge detriment to arrested/detained persons. The decisions taken in these early hours will later determine the ability of the accused to defend himself."

Justice Ramana was delivering the keynote address at an event organised by the National Legal Services Authority of India (NALSA), to launch the "vision and mission statement" and the mobile app for NALSA.

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“To keep police excesses in check dissemination of information about the constitutional right to legal aid and availability of free legal aid services is necessary. The installation of display boards and outdoor hoardings in every police station/prison is a step in this direction," he said.

For a society to remain governed by the rule of law, the CJI said it is imperative to bridge the gap of accessibility to justice between the highly privileged and the most vulnerable.

He pointed out that despite the Covid-19 pandemic, we have successfully been able to continue our legal aid services.

“Majority of those, who do not have access to justice are from rural and remote areas which suffer from lack of connectivity. I have already written to the government emphasizing the need to bridge the digital divide on a priority basis," he added.

Referring to the move by the NALSA to rope in Department of Post, Justice Ramana said: “The services of the existing postal network can be utilised to spread awareness regarding the availability of free legal aid services and to increase the outreach of legal services to the eligible category of persons, especially to the persons residing in rural and far-flung areas of the country".