Seven panel lawyers have been appointed in Thanjavur district to provide legal aid to survivors of bonded labour and human trafficking. This is the highest number of panel lawyers appointed in a single district so far. 

In the last few years, around 25 cases have been recorded across the Delta region. The appointments follow the establishment of the One-Stop Crisis Team (OSCT) by the Tamil Nadu State Legal Services Authority to combat sex, organ and labour trafficking across the State. The initiative has expanded across multiple districts and has played a role in rescuing survivors and providing legal assistance.

However, with several cases pending before courts in different districts, the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) was asked to nominate panel lawyers to assist public prosecutors, special public prosecutors, and assistant public prosecutors in conducting cases and expediting the legal process.

Subsequently, following a notification issued by the Member Secretary of TNSLSA, DLSAs were directed to appoint panel lawyers to assist prosecutors whenever survivors sought legal aid and wherever support was required in pending bonded labour cases. Panel lawyers have reportedly already been appointed in Pudukkottai, Nagapattinam, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu, Theni, and Sivagangai.

Seven lawyers in Thanjavur were appointed partly due to the volume of cases and partly because they had undergone specialised training imparted by the International Justice Mission, a non-governmental organisation involved in establishing the OSCT.

Advocate V. Natarajan, who has appeared in bonded labour cases, said such training was essential as many survivors are uneducated, unfamiliar with court procedures, and remain in a vulnerable condition. He said lawyers handling such cases often have to help survivors recollect events clearly during deposition and support them through the legal process.