Legal Aid
NLRPC offers quick-response, low-cost and pro-bono legal aid to those who would otherwise not have access to the Indian justice system due to socio-economic barriers. Our work involves a judicious mix of litigation– the Labour Courts, the Family Courts, the Criminal Courts – along with cases in the High Courts and the Supreme Court of India. We undertake routine individual litigation as such cases often lead to setting precedents in Indian law. Individual litigation is also a process by which lawyers remain in touch with the ground realities faced by millions in need of support. Over the period, NLRPC is successfully providing legal aid to many individuals across the state.
Legal Counselling and Legal Helplines
NLRPC has established helplines and legal aid clinics across the state of the Tamilnadu later throughout the country that provide legal advice and regular legal counselling, in person or via the telephone. Occasionally, a client’s problems are resolved at this stage, however, in many instances, NLRPC advocates support the client as they proceed to file a case in court. Therefore, NLRPC advocates support victims from the very beginning, to the point of gaining final orders in a case, and beyond.
Public Interest Litigation (PIL)
PIL is a unique and progressive aspect of the Indian judicial
system. Developed in the 1980s by an activist judiciary, it
loosened the traditional approach towards standing to sue and the
gathering of evidence in certain circumstances, and made possible
class action litigation on behalf of the poor. Any person acting
bonafide could file a petition in the High Courts and Supreme
Court for the enforcement of the fundamental rights of the poor.
The Court could even act suo-moto (on its own without a petition
being filed). The proceedings were termed non-adversarial, as it
was the duty of the state to enforce fundamental rights.
NLRPC files PILs in both high courts and the Supreme Court
of India. We propose that interventions at the level of the
Supreme Court are capable of making unprecedented changes in
retrogressive State policies. NLRPC proposed to successfully use
public interest litigation to bring relief to large segments of
the population, bringing relief to millions across the country.
Training, Consultations, and Judicial Colloquia
The National Institute for Constitutional Rights India, a branch of the National Legal Right Protection Councils, takes legal education as a mission. NLRPC lawyers and activists conduct legal workshops and seminars, which are designed to promote an understanding of laws and the working of the legal system; equip individuals and organizations to access the justice system; and discuss effective strategies to prevent violations. These programmes are organized for students, lawyers, activists, government officials, and the police amongst others. We also organize judicial colloquia to update the judiciary on the latest development in human rights and international law, and expose judges to issues that are faced by people who don’t have access to the legal system. Please click here for more details.
Publications and Communications
NLRPC offers quick-response, low-cost and pro-bono legal aid to those who would otherwise not have access to the Indian justice system due to socio-economic barriers. Our work involves a judicious mix of litigation– the Labour Courts, the Family Courts, the Criminal Courts – along with cases in the High Courts and the Supreme Court of India. We undertake routine individual litigation as such cases often lead to setting precedents in Indian law. Individual litigation is also a process by which lawyers remain in touch with the ground realities faced by millions in need of support. Over the period, NLRPC is successfully providing legal aid to many individuals across the state.
Campaigning
There is a direct link between NLRPC’s public interest petitions and its campaigns. The latter creates awareness about issues, facilitates the dissemination of orders passed by the courts, and makes the change-process participatory. This approach sends a message to the judiciary that society is concerned about the outcomes of the cases; therefore it must be responsive to society’s needs. Campaigns form a consultative process through which civil society monitors the progress of a case and the performance of lawyers – providing crucial information and support. The dynamic interplay between campaigns promotes transparency and accountability both in and outside the court.
Advocacy
NLRPC is a strong advocate for laws and policies that promote and defend human rights. An important part of our work also involves advocacy against legislation that undermine human rights. In crucial areas where legislation is lacking or requires amendments, NLRPC has pioneered efforts to formulate laws and policies. Our advocacy has provoked countrywide debates on issues from a people’s perspective, which have sensitized the government, judiciary, and the general public.
Solidarity and movement building
Working in solidarity across units, partner organizations, sectors, states and countries is core to the success of NLRPC’s work. Working and exchanging information with different human rights movements across the country and abroad enriches our collective corpus of knowledge—thereby opening up possibilities of further legal aid and collective action. NLRPC is shoulder-to- shoulder with national and international initiatives for peace, rule of law and democracy.
Fact-finding, Crisis Response, and Monitoring
NLRPC, in collaboration with local groups, sends out investigative
fact-finding teams on the basis of newspaper reports or upon the
receipt of information, to visit the area and talk to people that
are facing discrimination or whose rights have been violated. In
many instances, we file cases on the basis of evidence collected
through such fact findings.
In response to crisis situations such as natural disasters;
atrocities against Dalits; communal conflicts; displacement;
starvation deaths; farmer suicides, etc., NLRPC sets up legal aid
teams in affected areas that assist affected populations and hold
the government responsible for effective crisis response.
NLRPC also undertakes monitoring and evaluation of government
schemes and policies, and routinely files cases in situations
where people are denied their rights.
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