Lok Sabha Question No. 131 (STARRED), answered on 2023-07-28
Subject: Legal Assistance through Digital Platform
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: Gyaneshwar Patil, Nayab Singh

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

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## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO-*131

TO BE ANSWERED ON FRIDAY, THE 28 TH  JULY,2023

## LEGAL ASSISTANCE THROUGH DIGITAL PLATFORM

†*131. SHRI GYANESHWAR PATIL:

- SHRI NAYAB SINGH: Will the Minister of LAW AND JUSTICE be pleased to state: (a) whether any measures have been taken to integrate legal expertise with digital technology for better functioning of courts in Madhya Pradesh and Haryana; (b) if so, the details thereof; (c)  whether any digital  platform  has  been  launched to provide  legal  assistance to the  common  people  and  the  rural  entrepreneurs  in  rural  areas  of  Khandwa  and Kurukshetra Parliamentary Constituencies; (d) if so, the details thereof; and (e)  the  extent  to  which  the  said  digital  platform  is  effective  and  the  plan  of  the
- Government to increase its accessibility in future?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE; MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS; AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CULTURE

(SHRI ARJUN RAM MEGHWAL)

- (a) to (e): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *131 FOR ANSWER ON 28.07.2023 REGARDING 'LEGAL ASSISTANCE THROUGH DIGITAL PLATFORM'.

(a) &  (b) Yes  Sir,  Various  measures  have  been  taken  to  integrate  legal expertise with digital technology for better functioning of courts in the State of Madhya Pradesh and State of Haryana.

High  Court  of  Madhya  Pradesh  has  developed  Court  Management InformationSystem  (CMIS)  Software.  The  CMIS  software  provides  real  time data regarding nature and disposal of cases, court wise and judge wise. This real  time  data  is  maintained  in  coordination  with  District  courts.  Stratified information of cases helps in clearingbacklog of civil/ criminal cases pending for 5 years or more in District courts which were held up due to stay orders passed by the High Court in appeal/ revisions or writ petitions etc. New listing policy was introducedunder which concerned listing officials and the Registry officials  make  the  records  for  listing  with  proper  updation  and  also  ensure timely  movement  of  the  case  files  to  the  concerned  courts.  The  usage  of software has reduced the work load of legal functionaries and optimized their working efficiency.

Proper utilization of time of all the duty holders has facilitated the office of the  Advocate  General  to  ensure  production  of  case-diaries  in  the  courts, giving  specific  direction  regarding  matters  arising  from  the  same  crime number in bail applications and timely communication of orders in the matters arising from the same judgment filed by the different accused persons/appellants/applicants.  In  addition,the  Judicial  Section  of  the  High Court is using  E-Memo System under which memo are digitally signed and sent to parties on their email -id.

In  addition  to  above  the  High  Court  of  Madhya  Pradesh  has  also developed a bi-lingual (Hindi- English) Mobile app on android and iOS having features  like  E-Display  board,  Judgment  /  orders,  Case  status,  Cause  list, Copying,  Caveat,  Defects  /  defaults,  My  Diary,  Free  text  search,  Feedback facility,  Online  payments,  Video  Conferencing  Facility,  ILR  facility  &  Push Notification  etc.  The  version  2.0  of  the  Mobile  app  also  has  case  related information  of  District  Courts  and  Tehsil  Courts  of  Madhya  Pradesh.The technological intervention has minimized the manual  intervention while ensuring better administration of justice.

In  the  State  of  Haryana  Legal  Service  Management  System  (LSMS) is fully operational.  Legal  aid/  assistance  applications  received  through  the  said portal  are  registered  and  thereafter  forwarded  to  the  concerned  High  Court Legal Services Committee/DLSAs, as the case may be, for taking necessary action.  The  action  taken  on  the  application  is  updated  on  the  portal  and applications  are  disposed  of.  Similarly,  to  ensure  faster  resolution  and  curb unnecessary  delays  e-Mediation  through  Video  Conferencing  and  e-Lok Adalat has already been initiated in State of Haryana.

- (c) to (e) Harnessing technology under the Digital India, theGovernment of India launched its Tele-Law initiative in 2017 with the aim to strengthen pre-litigation advice  mechanism  at  the  grassroots  with  support  from  Common  Service Centres  (CSCs).  The  CSCsare  run  by  Village  Level  Entrepreneurs  (VLEs) who are local persons from the Panchayat who helps and assist the villagers in availing various online services of the Government. These CSCs, situated at  the  gram  panchayat  level  also  provides  for  an  e-interface  platform  that connects the citizens and the Panel Lawyers, through tele/video conferencing facilities  and  via  Tele-Law  Citizens  Mobile  application  (available  on Android, iOS and UMANG platform). Tele-Law service is currently operational across 2.5 lakh Gram Panchayats in 36 States/UTs in the country.

Presently,  in  the  district  of  Khandwa,  (Madhya  Pradesh)  349  CSCs  are providing Tele-Law service and 11,999 beneficiaries have been servedunder Tele-Law.  In  the  district  of  Kurukshetra  (Haryana),218  CSCshave  enabled Tele-Law service to 4,799 beneficiaries.

In  addition,  NALSA  has  taken  various  digital  initiatives  for  providing  legal services  throughout  the  country.    Web  Portal  and  Mobile  App  has  been created  to  file  online  legal  assistance  applications.  The  Web  Portal  can  be accessed  on    www.nalsa.gov.in and  is  available  in  Ten  (10)  languages  i.e., English, Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Gujarati, Bengali, Odia and

Kannada. Since 2016, out of 3.77 lakh, approx. 3.55 lakh applications have been disposed offthrough NALSA's Web Portal and Mobile App.Apart from the above,  Legal  Services Authorities  have  initiated  e-Lok Adalat  to  enable  the parties  to  join  pre-Lok Adalat  and  Lok Adalat  proceedings  and  ensure  their monitoring.

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