Pune, 12 January 2025: “The constitutional right to free legal aid means providing meaningful and high-quality legal support, not just free services. Lawyers who take up this responsibility must be sincere, hardworking, and deeply committed to justice,” said Supreme Court Justice Atul Sharashchandra Chandurkar while addressing a national-level seminar organised by ILS Law College, Pune, on Saturday.
He stressed that free legal aid plays a crucial role in protecting the rights of poor and vulnerable citizens, and therefore the quality of such legal support must never be compromised.
The seminar was part of the annual “Remembering S. P. Sathe” lecture series, held in memory of former ILS principal and Indian Law Society secretary, Professor Dr. Satyaranjan Purushottam Sathe. This year marked the 20th edition of the event.
The theme of the seminar was “Clinical Legal Education and Access to Justice in India,” focusing on how law colleges, legal aid centres, and community engagement can strengthen access to justice through legal reforms and practical training.
Acting Judge of the Supreme Court of Appeal of South Africa, Dr. Avinash Govind, attended the programme as a special guest. The seminar was jointly organised with SwissAid and supported by the European Union.
Professor Dr. Suvarna Nilakh presented the 50-year journey of ILS Law College’s free legal aid centre, while Acting Principal Dr. Deepa Paturkar welcomed the guests. Indian Law Society Secretary Vaijayanti Joshi spoke about Dr. Sathe’s legacy, and SwissAid India head Kavita Gandhi and Dr. Divya Mittal also addressed the gathering.
