'Free Legal Aid Centre on Family Matters’ by Mukund Sarda gives amicable solutions

Statistics compiled over past few decades reveal that the number of family matters reported to the law has increased substantially over the last decade. A major proportion of these cases correspond to marital discords and property disputes. Every fifth family in India has a history of marital discord and 1 out of 10 such cases are generally taken to court, however many later are solved through out of court settlements. But nonetheless, there is a huge pile of such pending cases. Dr. Mukund Sarda, Principal, New Law College, Bharati Vidyapeeth University has devised a way to sort these cases at pre-litigation stage.

'Free Legal Aid Centre on Family Matters’ started at New Law College by Mukund Sarda aims to resolve family matters in an amicable way. This centre has been operational since 2 years and has resolved over 415 cases. Here, an esteemed panel of 20 experienced lawyers and academicians help resolve family matters by their free legal advice and counseling of the parties.

For the students of NLC, this serves as the perfect place to learn how to approach and resolve marital and family discords. Law students are encouraged to carefully observe and actively participate in the proceedings. They are even sensitized about the cases and recommended to view them from an emotional view point as well.

A major number of such cases involve domestic violence, live-in relationships and old people who are disowned by their families. The government has established laws like Protection of Women against Domestic Violence Act, 2005 and Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007, but it isn’t always possible for people to take the matters to the courts as it involves time and money. In such cases, ‘Free Legal Aid Centre on Family Matters’ serves as the way out.

Dr. Mukund Sarda says women must know their legal rights

A convention on ‘Justice and Women Empowerment’ was organized at the Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University New Law College, Pune. Participating in this event were over a hundred counselors. The symposium was organized by          Dr. Mukund Sarda, Dean And Principal New Law College. The symposium was inaugurated by Justice Dr. Mrs. Shalini S. Phansalkar Joshi, Judge, Bombay High Court, Mrs. Shailaja Sawant, Principal Judge, Family Court, Pune and Mr. Sudam Gayke, Vice-President, Association of Marriage Counselors, Family Courts, Maharashtra State. Pune family court judge Mrs Sawant mentioned that Gender Justice means no discrimination on the basis of sex. In India there is gender injustice as lot of cases of crime against women goes unreported; to stop the crime against women there shall be 1. Women police officers shall be appointed 2. Special help line numbers for women. Protection of legal rights of women, rehabilitation of children of prostitutes is the real Women Empowerment for which every citizen should fight.

Justice Dr. Mrs. Shalini S. Phansalkar Joshi stated that communications over social media must be encouraged between the spouses but this must not over shadow the need for having personal verbal communication. The idea is to develop an understanding and devote time to each other. This is a sorted way of solving marital disputes

Dr. Mukund Sharda said that matrimonial disputes which are needed to be solved are Child custody, Property issue and Crimes against women. He also elaborated that Counselors play an important role in order to bring amicable solution to matrimonial disputes. In physical abuse and torture cases ‘Domestic Information Report’ shall be filed without any attempt for counseling or settlement. Every woman shall know her right to medical aid, maintenance, alimony, live-in-matrimonial home, etc.

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Prof.Dr.Mukund Sarda - New Law College,Pune

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