DLSA East Siang Holds Legal Awareness Programme for APU Students
The programme covered Zero FIR, illegal detention, bail, AI-driven misinformation, defamation, POCSO, consent, ragging and workplace sexual harassment laws.
PASIGHAT- The District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), East Siang, in collaboration with the Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC) of Arunachal Pradesh University (APU), conducted a legal awareness programme for university students on the theme “Empowered Youth, Stronger India.
Held at the APU Conference Hall under the aegis of the Arunachal Pradesh State Legal Services Authority, the programme focused on improving legal literacy among young people and familiarising students with their rights, responsibilities, digital conduct, personal safety and available legal mechanisms.
Delivering the keynote address, Bidol Sora, Secretary of DLSA East Siang and Civil Judge (Junior Division)-cum-JMFC, explained several legal protections and mechanisms available to citizens.
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He discussed Zero FIR, rights against illegal detention and the process of seeking bail, while also addressing emerging digital challenges, particularly the spread of AI-driven misinformation.
Sora urged students to verify information before sharing it and cautioned against forwarding unverified messages that could potentially result in allegations of defamation.
He also discussed personal boundaries and the distinction between good touch and bad touch. Advocate Denzing Sonuwal addressed students on defamation and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, particularly in the context of social media.
Referring to the Supreme Court’s 2015 judgment in Shreya Singhal v. Union of India, he explained the relationship between freedom of speech under Article 19 of the Constitution and the reasonable restrictions under Article 19(2).
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He also cautioned students that forwarding defamatory or offensive content may carry legal consequences and stressed the importance of creating safe environments for young people.
Advocate Sunny Tayeng spoke about consent, dignity, harassment and safety-related laws.
She explained that valid consent must be freely given and without coercion and can be withdrawn at any time. Her session also covered the legal implications of ragging, including physical, verbal, digital and psychological forms of abuse.
Tayeng further discussed the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, commonly known as the POSH Act, and stressed the importance of recognising sexually motivated conduct and maintaining safe institutional spaces.
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She also highlighted legal protections available to victims while cautioning against knowingly making false complaints under applicable laws and regulations.
The programme concluded with an interactive Question-and-Answer session, during which students engaged with the legal experts on a range of issues.
Discussions included the fundamental right to fair education, the potential implications of criminal convictions on employment and recruitment, and the need to extend legal literacy programmes to rural and remote communities.
The vote of thanks was delivered by Dr. Rajen Miwu, Head of the Department of Commerce, APU, who expressed appreciation to the speakers, DLSA East Siang, IQAC, faculty members and student organisers.
The programme highlighted the importance of equipping young people with practical knowledge of the law, particularly as they increasingly navigate digital platforms and complex social environments. It also underscored the value of continued collaboration between legal institutions and educational institutions to promote awareness of rights, responsibilities and access to justice.
