Legal Aid at Police Stations

The early phase of the criminal justice process is the most crucial period for those arrested or detained for an offence. Presence of a lawyer at this phase is important to safeguard the rights accorded to them. Article 22(1) of the Constiution states that- “No person who is arrested shall be detained in custody without being informed, as soon as may be, of the grounds for such arrest nor shall he be denied the right to consult, and to be defended by, a legal practitioner of his choice. However in April 2018 NALSA wrote to all State Legal Services Authorities to explore the feasibility of setting up legal services clinics in police stations to facilitate legal services to arrested persons under section 41D of Cr.P.C. This guidebook suggests possible models of legal aid delivery at police station, as well as some important guidance on their setup