Mission to help Indians caught in legal battles
dubai — One-on-one legal counsel, help with documentation work, and a shorter waiting period for the announcement of hearing dates are some of the leading benefits that distressed Indians can avail from law firms appointed by the local Indian mission.
The Consulate General of India (CGI) in Dubai is now accepting proposals from law firms to assist the mission in fighting the legal battles of Indian nationals.
Lawyers and social workers have hailed the Consulate’s decision to appoint legal counsel, as several distressed Indians were in the dark about official legal proceedings and procedures to be followed in the courts.
The move will particularly benefit blue collared workers, as several of their cases are not handled correctly, according to workers’ welfare officials. The law firms would be paid for their services with funds from the Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF). Legal assistance will be provided to deserving community members on a means-tested basis.
Sealed documents addressed to Sumathi Vasudev, consul for consular and labour, needs to be sent to the mission in Bur Dubai. Furthermore, the deadline for submitting proposals to the CG has also been extended till May 15.
“The announcement of a hearing date stretches over months. Workers themselves go to the court, without getting their documents translated into Arabic, and they don’t have proper documents. They end up wasting many months in this process and run out of money for sustenance,” said a senior welfare official, whose name was withheld on request.
“This move will greatly benefit all members of the Indian community,” said Anuradha Vobilisetty, a legal consultant working in Dubai. She assists migrant labourers from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
“Most workers are not aware that documents need to be translated into Arabic,” she said, adding “there are several white-collared workers who are in legal conflict as well. Assistance must be provided to the most deserving cases,” she said.
Vobilisetty praised efforts taken by Vipul, Consul General of India, to streamline services and procedures offered by the mission. The welfare official added: “A legal team could also help distressed Indians reclaim their pending dues in a short span of time. All of the help provided will be well within the legal framework of UAE.”
Currently, the Indian Workers Resource Centre provides workers free legal counselling sessions by volunteer lawyers.
dhanusha@khaleejtimes.com