Justice Sindhu Sharma calls for prudent Financial Management, stresses Accountability, Transparency

LLSA Board approves FY 2025–26 Expenditure

LEH: Stressing transparency, accountability and prudent financial management in the delivery of legal aid programmes, Justice Sindhu Sharma, Judge of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh and Executive Chairperson of the Ladakh Legal Services Authority (LLSA), on Saturday said the effective utilisation of public funds remains central to strengthening access to justice across the Union Territory, as the Authority’s Board of Directors approved the Annual Expenditure for the Financial Year 2025–26.

The approval was accorded during a meeting of the Board of Directors held at the LLSA Conference Hall in Melongthang, Leh, after members reviewed the Authority’s Annual Accounts and Expenditure Statement, certified by a Chartered Accountant. The expenditure pertains to Grants-in-Aid received from the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) and the Administration of the Union Territory of Ladakh during FY 2025–26.

Addressing the meeting, Justice Sharma appreciated the Authority’s efforts in ensuring judicious utilisation of public resources and said efficient financial management was essential for expanding access to free and competent legal services across Ladakh. She underscored the need to maintain high standards of transparency and accountability while implementing legal services programmes.

The Board unanimously approved the annual expenditure after detailed deliberations on the financial statements and utilisation of grants received under NALSA’s Legal Aid Programme (LAP), the Legal Aid Defence Counsel (LADC) Scheme, and financial assistance extended by the UT Administration.

Member Secretary Spalzes Angmo informed the Board that the grants had been utilised for implementing statutory programmes under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, including free legal aid services, legal literacy and awareness campaigns, Lok Adalats, victim compensation, the Legal Aid Defence Counsel System, Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), capacity-building programmes and other institutional responsibilities of the Authority.

The meeting was attended in person by Tsewang Tharchin, Commissioner/Secretary, Finance Department, UT Ladakh; Baseer-ul-Haq Choudhary, Secretary, Department of Information and Public Relations; and Gonbo Stobgyal, President, Bar Association, Leh. Assistant Solicitors General Tahir Majid Shamsi and Vishal Sharma, Secretary, Department of Law and Justice Tariq Ahmad Qureshi, and Board members Advocate Talib Hussain and Advocate Zarina Bano participated through virtual mode.

The Board also reviewed the Authority’s financial management framework and implementation of statutory programmes before endorsing the annual accounts, reaffirming its commitment to ensuring accessible, efficient and accountable legal services across the Union Territory.