Lok Sabha Question No. 1895 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-07
Subject: Legal Aid Services
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: PRALHAD VENKATESH JOSHI, SHARAD TRIPATHI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

******

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1895

TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, THE 7 TH  MARCH, 2018

## Legal Aid Services

## 1895. SHRI PRALHAD JOSHI: SHRI SHARAD TRIPATHI:

Will the Minister of LAW AND JUSTICE be pleased to state?

- (a) the details of the types of  legal aid services being provided to people of poorer and the weaker sections of the society;
- (b) whether the Government proposes to set up Legal Aid Clinics in various villages in the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) if not, the time by which such clinics are likely to be set up in each village;
- (d) the funds allocated and spent for legal aid services in the last three years; and
- (e) the number of beneficiaries who received such help from the Government.

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR LAW & JUSTICE AND CORPORATE AFFAIRS (SHRI P.P.CHAUDHARY)

- (a) The  Government  and  the  National  Legal  Services  Authority  (NALSA)  provide  legal  aid services to poor and weaker sections of society under various schemes. The Government in partnership with UNDP has implemented Access to Justice Project in eight States namely, UP, Bihar, M.P, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Odisha and Maharashtra from 2009 to 2017. Under the project legal aid clinics were set up in Odisha and Maharashtra where panel lawyers provided free legal advice and drafted applications on behalf of marginalized.

The Government has also been implementing one Access to Justice Project since 2012 in 8 States of the North East and the State of Jammu & Kashmir.  Under the project 46 legal aid clinics were set up in 2016-17 in Tuensang and Mon districts of Nagaland where panel lawyers similarly provided free legal advice and drafted applications on behalf of marginalized.

In  April,  2017,  the  Government  has  launched  new  legal  aid  schemes  for  the  poor namely, Tele Law and Pro Bono Legal Services.  Tele Law scheme has been launched in 1800 gram panchayats in 10 States of the country. Till  05.03.2018, legal advice has been provided  in  10,807  cases.  Under  the  Pro  Bono  legal  service  scheme,  220  advocates  have volunteered their services for  the marginalized.

The NALSA and legal services authorities (LSAs) from Supreme Court to taluka level courts provide free panel lawyers to people of poorer and weaker sections of society for legal advice, drafting of applications and filling up of various forms, making personal appearance in the court and providing certified copies of judgements. The LSAs also pay court fee on behalf of marginalized litigants who cannot afford to make payment. In special cases where court  appoints  commissions  for  marginalized  persons,  the  LSAs  make  payment  to  the commissioners and incur expenditure for summoning of witnesses.

- (b) to (e) The NALSA Legal Aid Clinics Regulations, 2011 provide for establishment of legal services  clinics  at  all  villages,  or  for  a  cluster  of  villages,  depending  on  the  size  of  such villages. Details of legal aid clinics established in villages/rural areas all over the country and  persons  provided  legal  assistance  during  the  period  from  April,  2017  to  December, 2017 are at Annexure-A.

Funds are allocated to NALSA for implementation of various schemes/programmes framed under the Legal Services Authority  Act, 1987. There is no separate  allocation  of funds  for  any  specific  legal  aid  scheme  or  programme.  The  details  of  the    grants  in  aid released and funds utilized during the last three years are given in Annexure B.

## Annexure as referred to in reply to the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1895 for 07.03.2018 raised by S/Shri Prahlad Joshi and Sharad Tripathi regarding legal aid services

State-wise number of Legal Services Clinics established in villages/ rural areas in the country and persons provided legal assistance during the current financial year 2017-18 on the basis of information furnished by State Legal Services Authoriteis.

| S.No.   | Name of the SLSAs   |   Number of Village Legal Services Clinics established as on 31.12.2017 |   Number of persons provided Legal Assistance |
|---------|---------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------|
| 1       | Andhra Pradesh      |                                                                     457 |                                          8012 |
| 2       | Arunachal Pradesh   |                                                                       0 |                                             0 |
| 3       | Assam               |                                                                     146 |                                          1377 |
| 4       | Bihar               |                                                                     112 |                                           614 |
| 5       | Chhattisgarh        |                                                                     279 |                                         26511 |
| 6       | Goa                 |                                                                      61 |                                          1318 |
| 7       | Gujarat             |                                                                     487 |                                          4284 |
| 8       | Haryana             |                                                                     321 |                                        112365 |
| 9       | Himachal Pradesh    |                                                                     893 |                                         11924 |
| 10      | Jammu &Kashmir      |                                                                     131 |                                          7252 |
| 11      | Jharkhand           |                                                                     382 |                                         20950 |
| 12      | Karnataka           |                                                                     147 |                                          6019 |
| 13      | Kerala              |                                                                     173 |                                          6907 |
| 14      | Madhya Pradesh      |                                                                     555 |                                          7754 |
| 15      | Maharashtra         |                                                                     387 |                                          2706 |
| 16      | Manipur             |                                                                      54 |                                          2676 |
| 17      | Meghalaya           |                                                                     104 |                                          1805 |
| 18      | Mizoram             |                                                                      57 |                                          2763 |
| 19      | Nagaland            |                                                                      89 |                                          1398 |
| 20      | Odisha              |                                                                     262 |                                          3427 |
| 21      | Punjab              |                                                                     274 |                                         12028 |
| 22      | Rajasthan           |                                                                    6243 |                                         91943 |
| 23      | Sikkim              |                                                                      12 |                                           109 |
| 24      | Tamil Nadu          |                                                                     551 |                                          1019 |
| 25      | Telangana           |                                                                     260 |                                          2499 |
| 26      | Tripura             |                                                                     317 |                                         14161 |
| 27      | Uttar Pradesh       |                                                                      44 |                                           651 |
| 28      | Uttarakhand         |                                                                     120 |                                          1383 |
| 29      | West Bengal         |                                                                     593 |                                         24820 |
| 30      | A&N Islands         |                                                                       0 |                                             0 |
| 31      | U.T. Chandigarh     |                                                                       9 |                                          4401 |
| 32      | D&N Haveli          |                                                                      12 |                                             0 |
| 33      | Daman &Diu          |                                                                       6 |                                             0 |
| 34      | Delhi               |                                                                       0 |                                             0 |
| 35      | Lakshadweep *       |                                                                       0 |                                             0 |
| 36      | Puducherry          |                                                                      55 |                                             7 |
|         | Total               |                                                                   13593 |                                        383083 |

Note: * Being a small Island all are directly contacting the State Legal  Services Authority for the legal assistance, so the legal aid clinics is not functioning properly.

Annexure-B (Rs. in crore)

| Annexure as referred to in reply to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1895 for 07.03.2018 raised by S/Shri Prahlad Joshi and Sharad Tripathi regarding legal aid services   | Annexure as referred to in reply to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1895 for 07.03.2018 raised by S/Shri Prahlad Joshi and Sharad Tripathi regarding legal aid services   | Annexure as referred to in reply to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1895 for 07.03.2018 raised by S/Shri Prahlad Joshi and Sharad Tripathi regarding legal aid services   |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Details of grant-in-aid released and funds utilized by NALSA during the last three years i.e. 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17.                                                | Details of grant-in-aid released and funds utilized by NALSA during the last three years i.e. 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17.                                                | Details of grant-in-aid released and funds utilized by NALSA during the last three years i.e. 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17.                                                |
| Year                                                                                                                                                                       | Grant released                                                                                                                                                             | Grant utilized by NALSA                                                                                                                                                    |
| 2014-15                                                                                                                                                                    | 82.65                                                                                                                                                                      | 56.02                                                                                                                                                                      |
| 2015-16                                                                                                                                                                    | 67.97                                                                                                                                                                      | 60.66                                                                                                                                                                      |
| 2016-17                                                                                                                                                                    | 63.67                                                                                                                                                                      | 43.07                                                                                                                                                                      |