Society's Duty To Give Accused Opportunity For Defence: Supreme Court Judge

Supreme Court judge UU Lalit said every police station in the country must have "display boards" containing information about the right to legal aid and availability of free legal aid services.

It is the duty of every member of an orderly society to offer every possible opportunity to an accused to defend himself, Supreme Court judge UU Lalit said today. He said that to ensure that no accused remains unrepresented during any stage of the criminal investigation and the trial, each police station in the country must have "display boards" containing information about the right to legal aid and availability of free legal aid services. Such board and posters are going to be installed at all the police stations across the Haryana, he informed. Justice Lalit said that even though a criminal must be brought to book and punished for his wrong deeds for an orderly society, legal representation is part of everyone's fundamental rights.