Lok Sabha Question No. 1372 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-06
Subject: Legal Aid Services to Divyangjans
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: Shri Nalin Soren, Shri Bhojraj Nag, Shri Tapir Gao, Smt. Mala Rajya Laxmi Shah, Shri Anoop Pradhan Valmiki, Shri Manish Jaiswal, Shri Alok Sharma, Smt. Himadri Singh, Shri Vijay Baghel, Shri Jugal Kishore, Shri Rahul Singh Lodhi, Shri Satish Kumar Gautam, Shri Captain Brijesh Chowta, Shri Balabhadra Majhi, Smt. Aparajita Sarangi, Shri Vijay Kumar Dubey

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO - 1372

TO BE ANSWERED ON FRIDAY - 06/02/2026

## LEGAL AID SERVICES TO DIVYANGJANS

## † 1372.   SHRI TAPIR GAO:

SMT. HIMADRI SINGH:

SHRI VIJAY BAGHEL:

SHRI MANISH JAISWAL:

SHRI CAPTAIN BRIJESH CHOWTA:

SMT. APARAJITA SARANGI:

SHRI BALABHADRA MAJHI:

SMT. MALA RAJYA LAXMI SHAH:

SHRI VIJAY KUMAR DUBEY:

SHRI NALIN SOREN:

SHRI RAHUL SINGH LODHI:

SHRI BHOJRAJ NAG:

SHRI ALOK SHARMA:

SHRI SATISH KUMAR GAUTAM:

SHRI ANOOP PRADHAN VALMIKI:

SHRI JUGAL KISHORE:

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

- (a)  the  details  of  the  legal  aid  services  available  for  Divyangjans  including  the  nature  of assistance  provided  and  the  coverage  thereof,  particularly  in  the  Dumka  Lok  Sabha Constituency of Jharkhand, Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and for those residing in the tribal areas of Odisha;
- (b)  the  manner  in  which  the  specialized  Legal  Services  Units  established  for  persons  with mental illness and intellectual disabilities are functioning and the status of their availability especially in the tribal areas of Odisha;
- (c)  the  details  regarding  the  accessibility  standards  prescribed  for  judicial  infrastructure, including  Judgment  Halls,  Courtrooms,  digital  accessibility,  assistive  technologies  and inclusive  design  standards,  etc.  and  the  extent  of  their  compliance  in  Court  Complexes located in the tribal areas of Odisha;

- (d)  whether  e-Courts  Phase  III  includes  enhanced  accessibility  features  for  Divyangjans, especially for those in tribal regions; and
- (e)   if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

## (SHRI ARJUN RAM MEGHWAL)

- (a) & (b): The Government has undertaken several measures to make available affordable, quality and  speedy  legal  services  to  the  common  man,  including  Divyangjans.  The  Legal  Services Authorities  (LSA)  Act,  1987  provides  for  free  and  competent  legal  services  to  the  weaker sections of the society including Divyangjans. As per Section 12(d) of the LSA Act, 1987, a person with disability is entitled to legal services.

NALSA  is  implementing  a  specific  Scheme  for  Divyangjans  named  NALSA  (Legal Services  to  the  Mentally  Ill  and  Persons  with  Intellectual  Disabilities)  Scheme,  2024.  This Scheme is implemented throughout the Country including Dumka Lok Sabha Constituency of Jharkhand,  UT  of  Jammu  &  Kashmir  and  tribal  areas  of  Odisha.  Special  campaign  were launched on two occasions, one from 13.07.2024 to 26.08.2024 and another from 06.07.2025 to 20.07.2025 throughout the State of Jharkhand including the Dumka Lok Sabha Constituency for children with disability.

In  alignment with the mandate of the NALSA, the J&K Legal Services Authority has adopted  a  right  based  and  inclusive  approach  towards  legal  aid  delivery  for  persons  with disabilities through District Legal Services Authorities (DLSAs), Panel Advocates, Para Legal Volunteers (PLVs) and specialized legal services units. During the year 2025, a total of 468 persons with disabilities were benefitted through different modes of legal services in the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir. A total of 144 awareness programs were organized which were attended  by  7,211  persons.  In  addition,  121  door-to-door  awareness  programs  were  also conducted by Para Legal Volunteers to reach persons with disabilities and their families at the grassroot level.

In the State of Odisha, immediate steps are taken by the Orissa High Court Legal Services Committee (OHCLSC), District Legal Services Authorities (DLSAs) and Taluk Legal Services Committees  (TLSCs)  to  provide  legal  aid  services  to  people  of  tribal  areas  including Divyangians on receipt of applications. Legal literacy/ awareness programs are also organized for creating awareness about various schemes of Central/ State Government particularly for the Divyangians. Village Legal Care and Support Centres are also functioning in the tribal areas such as Koraput, Malkangiri, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Phulban, Rayagada and Sundargarh. That apart, Mobile Legal Aid Van are also being deployed in the tribal areas of the aforesaid districts for creating awareness.

As  per  the  clause  5.1  of  NALSA  (Legal  Services  to  Persons  with  Mental  Illness  and Persons with  Intellectual  Disabilities)  Scheme,  2024,  Odisha  has  constituted  Legal  Services Units: 'Manonyay' in all the 30 districts and taluk level of the State for persons with mental illness and intellectual disabilities. More than 8,870 persons of the tribal areas have benefited through 65 legal awareness programs organized in the State of Odisha.

- (c):  The  Government  is  implementing  a  Centrally  Sponsored  Scheme  for  development  of infrastructure facilities for the District and Subordinate Courts by augmenting the resources of the  State  Governments/UTs  for  construction  of  Court  Halls,  Residential  Units  for  Judicial Officers, Lawyers' Hall, Digital Computer Rooms and Toilet Complexes.  As per guidelines of the  Scheme,  the  States/UTs  ensures  that  the  proposed  infrastructure  have  disabled-friendly design. The building design are in conformity with the requisite norms/accessibility standards as laid down by Central Public Works Department, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, from time to time.
- (d) & (e):  Under eCourts Project Phase III, there are 24 components that have several significant measures  devised  to  foster  the  creation  of  a  robust  and  accessible  digital  infrastructure  for citizens including Persons with Disabilities. Provision has been made for providing enhanced accessible ICT enabled facilities to persons with disabilities, at a budgetary outlay of Rs. 27.54 crore, migration of websites of 752 Courts (including High Courts) to S3WaaS platform (Secure, Scalable and Sugamya Website as a Service) that makes the website friendly for Persons with Disabilities.  S3WaaS  platform  has  features  for  easy  visibility  of  content  for  partially  and completely visually challenged citizens.

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