Lok Sabha Question No. 3753 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-25
Subject: Tele Law Mobile App
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: P. Ravindhranath

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

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## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3753 TO BE ANSWERED ON FRIDAY, THE 25 TH  MARCH, 2022 Tele Law Mobile App

3753.   SHRI P RAVINDHRANATH:

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

- (a) whether the Tele-Law mobile app launched with the objective of providing/ensuring  legal  information  to  the  people  and  empower  them  to access  dispute  redressal  from  the  respected  forum  has  been  able  to penetrate the rural population and, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether  any  alternative  to  Mobile  App  like  regular  voice  call  facility  that  is currently  available  for  providing  this  service,  since  access  to  smart  phones may not be available to the entire rural population especially the elderly and, if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government has taken any initiatives to create awareness about the benefits and operations of this app among public; and
- (d) if  so,  the  details  thereof  along with the actions taken by the Government to ensure free legal aid under Section 12 of Legal Service Authority?

## ANSWER

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

(a)   to  (c)  Yes,  Sir.The  Citizens'  Tele-Law  Mobile  App,launched  recently, enables  the  individual  beneficiary  to  access  pre-litigation  advice  and  hold consultation directly with the Panel Lawyer, free of cost. This App is available in 6 languages viz English, Hindi, Marathi, Punjabi, Tamil and Telugu on both Android and iOS platform.The total number of Mobile App downloads till date is 35,257 and 1,79,339 advice enabled through the Mobile App to beneficiaries including rural population.

This method of direct consultation through smart phone based App supplements the already-existing assisted model of seeking legal advice available at Common Service  Centres  (CSCs)  at  the  Panchayat  level  which  connects  individual beneficiaries with Panel Lawyers via telephonic and video conferencing facilities, available at these CSCs. Tele-Law is presently operational in 669 Districts across 36 States/UTs covering 75,000 Gram Panchayats. The service at CSCs is free for persons entitled under Section 12 of the Legal Services Authorities (LSA) Act, 1987 and for others at Rs.30/- per consultation. Tele-Law has enabled advice to more than 14.89 lakh beneficiaries till 28 th February, 2022.

The  Government  launched  the  'Tele-Law  on  Wheels'campaign  from  8 th to 14 th November,2021creating  awareness  about  the  Mobile  App  reaching  out  to nearly 52,000 participants. In addition, 4,250 awareness and community mobilization  sessions  were  also  conducted  across  the  country.  Telecast  of promotional  video  of  the  Citizens'  Tele-Law  Mobile  App  has  been  made  on Doordarshan  (DD)  channels.  Awareness  about  the  Citizens'  Tele-Law  Mobile App  has  also  been  spread  through  social  media,  including  Twitter,  Facebook, Instagram, Youtubeand Koo.E-tutorials and user manuals for the application has been made available on the Tele-Law website (https://www.tele-law.in).

(d)  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 LokAdalats to secure that the operation of the legal system promotes justice on a basis of equal opportunities. For this purpose, the legal services institutions have been set up from the Taluk Court levels to the Supreme Court. During the period from April, 2021 to January, 2022,  62.21  lakhs  persons  have  been  provided  with  free  legal  services  and 133.27 lakhs cases (pending in courts and disputes at pre-litigation stage) have been settled through LokAdalats/e-LokAdalats. 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  Nyaya  Bandhu  (Pro-bono  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.  3989  pro  bono advocates  have  been  registered  under  the  programme  and  1552  cases  have been registered by the beneficiaries till 28 th February, 2022.

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