‘ACCESS TO JUSTICE FOR MARGINALISED PEOPLE’
- The Department of Justice is implementing a project on “Access to Justice for Marginalised people” with UNDP support.
- The first phase of the Project (2009-2012) has focused on both the demand side and the supply side of justice.
- The first phase covered 7 states of Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha and Rajasthan.
- A large variety of rights and entitlements are being covered under the Project. These include rights against domestic violence and other women’s rights including their right to property and land, rights of Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (STs), land rights, forest dwellers rights, Right to Information (RTI) and rights under the existing criminal laws.
- The legal services authorities have been engaged in the legal aid and empowerment activities undertaken with the support of civil society organizations under the Project.
- The Project also provided a platform to a cross section of justice delivery stakeholders including administrative and law enforcement officials to discharge their responsibilities in a coordinated manner.
‘ACCESS TO JUSTICE PROJECT’
- The second phase of the project will continue to focus both on the demand and supply side.
- In terms of geographical coverage, the project will focus efforts in 1-2 selected districts in the 8 states of Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh for better impact.
- The project will try to ensure sustainability of results achieved in the previous phase.
- Best practices on legal aid, legal empowerment and improved justice delivery from across the globe, will be shared with a View to adapt them to the Indian context.
‘ACCESS TO JUSTICE – NE AND J&K’
- The project has been approved for the period of five years (2012-17).
- The project will be implemented in the eight states of north cast (including Sikkim) and Jammu and Kashmir with the project cost of Rs.30 crores.
- The project seeks to address the legal needs of the marginalised and vulnerable sections of the society.
- It also focuses on supporting justice delivery systems in improving their capacities to serve the people.
NATIONAL COMMISSION TO REVIEW THE WORKING OF THE CONSTITUTION
- Commission was set up in the year 2000.
- The terms of reference stated that the Commission shall examine, in the light of the experience of the past 50 years, as to how best the Constitution can respond to the changing needs of efficient, smooth and effective system of governance and to recommend changes, if any, that are required in the provisions of the Constitution without interfering with its basic structure or features.
- The tenure of the Commission was extended from time to time up to March 2002.
- The Commission submitted its report in two volumes to the Government on March 31, 2002.
