The Supreme Court has ordered the mandatory display of the addresses and phone numbers of those providing free legal aid to poor and underprivileged people at police stations, post offices, railwaystations and bus stands across the country.

The directions have been passed under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, and Article 39A of the Constitution relating to free legal aid.

A bench of Justice B.R. Gavai and K.V. Viswanathan passed the order while dealing with a petition filed by social activist Suhas Chakma for appropriate directions to the Centre, states and the Union Territories to ensure that no prisoner is subjected to torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment by making them live in overcrowded and unhygienic conditions in jails.

The petition also advocates the right to humane treatment and respect for inherent dignity of all persons deprived of their liberty.

Some of the directives passed by Justice Viswanathan, who authoredthe judgment:

• In public places like police stations, post offices, bus stands, railway stations, etc, boards in prominent places to be displayed furnishing the address for contact and the phone numbers of the nearest legal aid office. This should be done in the local language and in English

• Promotional campaigns in the local language be undertaken through radio/All India Radio/Doordarshan. This will be in addition to the promotional measures undertaken through the digitisation process likehosting of websites and prominent mention thereon on the landing page of the legal services authoritywherever permissible

• Periodic interaction should be held with lawyers visiting jails and para-legal volunteers so that the system functionsefficiently as a whole

• Regular reorientation classes for lawyers involved in prelitigation assistance by legal services authorities. It should also be ensured that adequate law books and access to onlinelibraries are available to lawyers engaged at the pre-litigation assistance stage and those involved with the legal defence counsel set-up

• The Union of India and the states shall continue to extend their cooperation and assistance to the legal services authorities at different levels for effective implementation of the measures takenby them.