Lok Sabha Question No. 3329 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-17
Subject: Access of Poor People to Justice
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: Gopal Chinayya Shetty

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-3329

TO BE ANSWERED ON FRIDAY, THE 17 th  DECEMBER, 2021

## ACCESS OF POOR PEOPLE TO JUSTICE

†3329. SHRI GOPAL CHINNAYA SHETTY:

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

- (a)  whether  the  Government  has  taken  note  of  the  remark  made  by  the  retiring Supreme  Court  Justice  stating  that  legal  system  in  India  favours  the  rich  and powerful;
- (b) if so, whether the Government has taken any steps to increase access to justice for poor people of the country, if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) whether the Government has received any representation in this regard, if so, the details thereof and the action taken or likely to be taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF LAW & JUSTICE (SHRI KIREN RIJIJU)

(a) to  (c)  The  Government  has  undertaken  several  measures  to  make  available affordable, quality and speedy justice to the common man. The Legal Services Authorities  (LSA)  Act,  1987  provides  free  and  competent  legal  services  to  the weaker sections of the society including beneficiaries covered under Section 12 of the Act to ensure that opportunities for securing justice are not denied to any citizen by reason of economic or other disabilities, and to organize Lok Adalats to secure that the operation of the legal system promotes justice on a basis of equal opportunities.  The  Government  has  not  received  any  representation  in  this regard.

For this purpose, the legal services institutions have been setup from the Taluk  Court  level  to  the  Supreme  Court.  During  the  period  from  April,  2021  to

September,  2021,  3.10  lakhs  persons  have  been  provided  with  free  legal services and 75.41 lakhs cases (pending in courts and disputes at pre-litigation stage) have been settled through Lok Adalats. Legal Aid Clinics have also been set up in jails, observation homes, juvenile justice boards which are manned by panel lawyers and para legal volunteers of legal services authorities. Further to enable equitable access to justice, National Legal Services Authorities (NALSA) has  also  launched  Legal  Services  Mobile  App  on  Android  and  IoS  version  to enable easy access to legal aid to common citizens. In addition, the Government has launched two important empowerment initiatives which includes Nyaya Bandhu (Pro-bono been  registered by the beneficiaries. The  other initiative is the legal Legal Services)  programme  to  link  the  persons  eligible  to  avail  free  legal  aid  under Section  12  of  LSA  Act,  1987  with  the  pro-bono  lawyers.  3583  pro  bono advocates  have  been  registered  under  the  programme  and  1436  cases  have Tele-law programme, being run by the Government which provides legal advice to public including persons entitled for free legal aid under Section 12 of LSA Act, 1987, at pre-litigation  stage  by  the  Panel  Lawyers  through  the  Common  Service  Centre (CSC) at the Panchayats. Tele-law has served more than 12.5 lakh beneficiaries till date.

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