Bilaspur, February 7, 2026: The third phase of the One-Day Refresher Training Programme for Legal Aid Defence Counsels was held on Saturday at the Chhattisgarh State Judicial Academy in Bilaspur. The programme was organised by the Chhattisgarh State Legal Services Authority in collaboration with the Judicial Academy, with the objective of strengthening the quality of legal defence provided to underprivileged citizens across the State.
Addressing the participants, Justice Ramesh Sinha, Chief Justice of the High Court of Chhattisgarh, underscored the importance of the Legal Aid Defence Counsel System in ensuring meaningful access to justice. He noted that the system is central to fulfilling the constitutional mandate under Article 39A of the Constitution of India. The Chief Justice emphasised that the standard of defence extended to marginalised and underprivileged persons has a direct bearing on public confidence in the justice delivery mechanism. He reminded Chief and Deputy Chief Legal Aid Defence Counsels of the responsibility and trust placed in them and encouraged open interaction, experience sharing, and discussion of real-world challenges to improve service delivery across districts.
The inaugural session was attended by several Judges of the High Court of Chhattisgarh, along with senior judicial officers, officials of the Registry, and officers from both the Judicial Academy and the State Legal Services Authority. The programme also saw the presence of the Registrar General, the Director of the Judicial Academy, and the Member Secretary of the State Legal Services Authority.
A total of 74 participants, including Chief Legal Aid Defence Counsels and Deputy Chief Legal Aid Defence Counsels from various districts of Chhattisgarh, took part in the training. The sessions focused on enhancing professional competence, practical courtroom skills, and the overall effectiveness of legal aid defence services.
The welcome address was delivered by the Director of the Chhattisgarh State Judicial Academy, while the vote of thanks was proposed by the Member Secretary of the Chhattisgarh State Legal Services Authority. The programme concluded with a reaffirmation of the institutions’ shared commitment to capacity building and to strengthening access to justice for those who need it most.
