Odisha Law Department to strengthen training, capacity of government lawyers: Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan
Bhubaneswar, August 9
Odisha Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan has said that the state government has initiated a process to conduct orientation programmes for government advocates, additional government advocates and associate advocates to strengthen their capacity to handle and manage cases in district and lower courts.
A one-day workshop on 'Effective Management of Civil Cases in District Courts' was organised by the Law Department at the Conference Hall of Lok Seva Bhawan in Bhubaneswar on Saturday.
Speaking to ANI, Harichandan said the lawyers have been bestowed with the responsibility of representing the state government in lower courts and also have an important role as legal advisers to the government.
"Keeping this as the aim to build up their capacity for better handling of cases and better management of cases because they have been bestowed with a big responsibility of representing the state, representing the government in lower courts, and their role is really eminent and has a lot of importance. So to support them to create a better spirit in them," he said.
Harichandan said the orientation programme is aimed at improving the management of different cases in district and lower courts.
"You are not just the government's lawyers; you are the government's legal advisors. From that perspective, it is not that the government often makes mistakes; but if the government is making wrong decisions or taking wrong steps, then you have the right to advise on that. You should exercise this right and responsibility. I will advise you on this too," the minister said.
During the workshop, the minister released a book titled 'Guidelines and Best Practices' for Government Advocates, Additional Government Advocates and Associate Advocates.
According to him, the book will serve as a guide for government advocates in the effective management of civil cases, maintaining transparency in legal proceedings and protecting government interests.
He said the orientation programme was being organised for the first time in the state and expressed hope that the initiative would provide a new direction for the government lawyers and the Law Department.
Harichandan also said that in the next phase, training programmes for government lawyers would be decentralised and made more robust and effective at the district level.
He added that from next year, such orientation programmes should be organised at one place so that government lawyers can interact with one another and share their opinions and experiences.
He also expressed gratitude to the Law Department for presenting him with a memento and token of appreciation during the workshop.
— ANI
Reader Comments
The Minister's point about lawyers being "legal advisors" not just representatives is crucial. Many government lawyers hesitate to point out flaws in government decisions. This workshop might encourage more honest legal counsel, which is good for governance.
As someone who follows Indian legal news, this seems like a positive administrative step. Training and capacity building for government lawyers is often overlooked. The decentralization at the district level will definitely help in quicker case management.
It's heartening to see the Law Minister personally engaging with the lawyers and releasing a guidelines book. However, I really hope these workshops aren't just a one-time photo-op. Need to see consistent follow-up and measurable improvement in court outcomes.
Good initiative. As a law student, I can say that government lawyers in mofussil courts often struggle with resource constraints. This training plus the guidelines book should help them. Also nice to see the minister encouraging lawyers to speak up when the govt is wrong. That's true professionalism.
Interesting approach from the Odisha government. While India has a massive backlog of cases, any effort to train lawyers on efficient case management is welcome. The idea of annual meets for experience-sharing between government lawyers across districts sounds very productive.
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