Lok Sabha Question No. 1132 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-08
Subject: Free Legal Services
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: Devji Mansingram Patel, Kirit Premjibhai Solanki, Pushpendra Singh Chandel, Nalin Kumar Kateel, Basanta Kumar Panda, Naranbhai Bhikhabhai Kachhadiya, Saikia Dilip, Ranjeetsingh Naik Nimbalkar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTER OF LAW AND JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

*****

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-1132

TO BE ANSWERED ON FRIDAY, THE 8 TH  DECEMBER ,2023

## Free Legal Services

1132. SHRI DEVJI M.PATEL:

DR. (PROF.) KIRIT PREMJIBHAI SOLANKI:

SHRI KUNWAR PUSHPENDRA SINGH CHANDEL:

SHRI NALIN KUMAR KATEEL:

SHRI BASANATA KUMAR PANDA:

SHRI NARANBHAI KACHHADIYA:

SHRI DILIP SAIKIA:

SHRI RANJEETSINGH NAIK NIMBALKAR:

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

- (a)  the  manner  in  which  the  Government  envisages  to  fulfil  its  constitutional  duty under Article  39A  by  providing  free  legal  services  to  vulnerable  and  marginalised sections of society;
- (b) the details of the impact and contribution of agencies like NALSA, DISHA, and Nyaya Bandhu in achieving this goal; and
- (c) the details on the effectiveness of  Tele-Law in delivering legal aid to disadvantaged groups, especially focussing on women, SCs, and STs, indication of the variations exist across different States?

## ANSWER

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

## (SHRI ARJUN RAM MEGHWAL)

- (a) to  (c): Yes, Sir.  The  Legal Services Authorities (LSA) Act, 1987 constituted under  Article  39A  of  the  Indian  Constitution,  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. For  this  purpose,  the  legal  services  institutions  have  been  setup  from  the Taluk Court level to the Supreme Court.The activities/programmes undertaken by Legal Services Authorities include Legal Aid and advice; Legal Awareness Programmes; Legal Services/Empowerment camps; Legal Services  Clinics;  Legal  Literacy  Clubs;  Lok  Adalats  and  implementation  of Victim Compensation Scheme.  Details of activities/programmes undertaken by Legal Services Authorities is at Annexure-A. In addition, Department  of Justice initiated a scheme  titled  Designing Innovative  Solutions  for  Holistic  Access  to  Justice  (DISHA)  to  provide  for easy,  accessible  and  affordable  delivery  of  legal  services.  Its  key  initiatives include  Tele-Law:  Reaching  the  Unreached  that  aims  to  strengthen  prelitigation advice and consultation to all citizens at the Gram Panchayat level and Nyaya Bandhu (Pro Bono Legal Services) that aims to enable a pan India Pro  Bono  dispensation  framework  for  delivery  of  legal  services.  Tele-Law seeks to connect the beneficiary with the Lawyer via tele/ video conferencing facilities  available  at  the  Common  Service  Centres  and  through  Tele-Law Citizens Mobile Application.  As on 30 th  November 2023, Tele-Law services is available across 2.5 lakh Gram Panchayats in 766 districts across 36 States and  UTs  and  has  rendered  legal  advice  to  60,23,222  beneficiaries.  This includes  (21.49  lakh)  women,  (19.23  lakh)  Scheduled  Caste,  (9.33  lakh) Scheduled Tribe (18.64lakh) OBCs etc. The Nyaya Bandhu platform enables seamless  connect  on  the  Nyaya  Bandhu  Application  (available  on  Android/ iOS) between the interested Pro Bono Advocates and registered beneficiaries entitled  for  free  legal  aid  under  section  12  of  Legal  Services  Authorities Act,1987. As on 30th November, 2023, there are 10629 Pro Bono advocates and 89 Law schools have constituted Pro Bono Clubs to facilitate the culture of Pro bono among law students.

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| Statement as referred to in reply to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No.1132 for answering on 08.12.2023 raised by Shri Devji M Patel & Seven Others,(MP)on details of free legal services   | Statement as referred to in reply to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No.1132 for answering on 08.12.2023 raised by Shri Devji M Patel & Seven Others,(MP)on details of free legal services   | Statement as referred to in reply to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No.1132 for answering on 08.12.2023 raised by Shri Devji M Patel & Seven Others,(MP)on details of free legal services   | Statement as referred to in reply to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No.1132 for answering on 08.12.2023 raised by Shri Devji M Patel & Seven Others,(MP)on details of free legal services   | Statement as referred to in reply to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No.1132 for answering on 08.12.2023 raised by Shri Devji M Patel & Seven Others,(MP)on details of free legal services   |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Legal aid and advice:                                                                                                                                                                     | Legal aid and advice:                                                                                                                                                                     | Legal aid and advice:                                                                                                                                                                     | Legal aid and advice:                                                                                                                                                                     | Legal aid and advice:                                                                                                                                                                     |
| Years                                                                                                                                                                                     | Persons provided Panel Advocates                                                                                                                                                          | Persons benefited through Advice/ Counselling                                                                                                                                             | Persons benefited through other services                                                                                                                                                  | Total                                                                                                                                                                                     |
| 2022-23                                                                                                                                                                                   | 2,91,410                                                                                                                                                                                  | 6,39,230                                                                                                                                                                                  | 2,84,129                                                                                                                                                                                  | 12,14,769                                                                                                                                                                                 |
| 2023-24 (upto Sept, 23)                                                                                                                                                                   | 1,65,362                                                                                                                                                                                  | 3,92,999                                                                                                                                                                                  | 1,87,354                                                                                                                                                                                  | 7,45,715                                                                                                                                                                                  |

## Legal Awareness Programmes:

| Years                   | No of Legal Awareness programmes organised   | No. of Persons attended   |
|-------------------------|----------------------------------------------|---------------------------|
| 2022-23                 | 4,90,055                                     | 6,75,17,665               |
| 2023-24 (upto Sept, 23) | 1,93,605                                     | 1,76,93,492               |

## Legal Services / Empowerment Camps:

| Year                              | 2022        |
|-----------------------------------|-------------|
| No. of camps organised            | 38,541      |
| No. of beneficiaries in all camps | 1,15,10,207 |

Legal Services Clinics:

| Year                         | 2022-23                | 2022-23                                     | 2023-24 (upto Sept, 23)   | 2023-24 (upto Sept, 23)                     |
|------------------------------|------------------------|---------------------------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------------------------|
| Categories                   | Legal Services Clinics | Number of persons provided legal assistance | Legal Services Clinics    | Number of persons provided legal assistance |
| Law Colleges/ Universities   | 1,093                  | 37,351                                      | 1,025                     | 9,520                                       |
| Villages                     | 4,134                  | 2,82,140                                    | 3,953                     | 1,15,321                                    |
| Community Centres            | 776                    | 88,638                                      | 744                       | 39,174                                      |
| Courts                       | 904                    | 1,16,563                                    | 936                       | 66,921                                      |
| Jails                        | 1,177                  | 2,64,593                                    | 1,200                     | 1,55,588                                    |
| JJB/CWC/ Observation Homes   | 439                    | 29,280                                      | 454                       | 21,151                                      |
| For the people of North-East | 64                     | 1,170                                       | 52                        | 348                                         |
| Others                       | 3,124                  | 1,94,729                                    | 2,771                     | 88,674                                      |
| Total                        | 11,711                 | 10,14,464                                   | 11,135                    | 4,96,697                                    |

## Lok Adalats: National Lok Adalats

|                      | Pre-litigation Cases disposed of   | Pending Cases disposed of   | Total Cases disposed of   |
|----------------------|------------------------------------|-----------------------------|---------------------------|
| 2022                 | 3,10,15,215                        | 1,09,10,795                 | 4,19,26,010               |
| 2023 (upto Sept, 23) | 4,94,88,552                        | 1,06,83,225                 | 6,01,71,777               |

## State Lok Adalats

|                         | Pre-litigation Cases disposed of   | Pending Cases disposed of   | Total Cases disposed of   |
|-------------------------|------------------------------------|-----------------------------|---------------------------|
| 2022-23                 | 94.939                             | 7,56,370                    | 8,51,309                  |
| 2023-24 (upto Sept, 23) | 42,352                             | 6,10,724                    | 6,53,076                  |

## Permanent Lok Adalats (Public Utility Services)

| Years                   | Cases settled   |
|-------------------------|-----------------|
| 2022-23                 | 1,71,138        |
| 2023-24 (upto Sept, 23) | 1,10,412        |

## Implementation of Victim Compensation Schemes:

| Years                   | Compensation Awarded in (Rs.)   |
|-------------------------|---------------------------------|
| 2022-23                 | 3,47,80,37,352/-                |
| 2023-24 (upto Sept, 23) | 1,97,09,14,235/-                |