Lok Sabha Question No. 949 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-05
Subject: Free Legal Aid to Marginalised Sections
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: Shri Imran Masood, Shri Vishnu Datt Sharma

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO - 949 TO BE ANSWERED ON FRIDAY - 05.12.2025

## FREE LEGAL AID TO MARGINALISED SECTIONS

## 949. SHRI VISHNU DATT SHARMA: SHRI IMRAN MASOOD:

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

- (a) whether the Government is providing free legal aid to the poor, marginalised and weaker sections under the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), especially in Madhya Pradesh;
- (b) if  so,  whether  any  legal  aid  clinics,  Lok Adalats  or  outreach  programmes  have  been operationalized in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh especially in the districts of Katni, Panna and the town of Khajuraho under this scheme;
- (c) if so, the details of the number of cases resolved, beneficiaries reached and legal matters addressed; and
- (d) if not, the reasons therefor and the steps being taken to ensure availability of free legal services in these areas?

## 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) : Government has set up National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) under the Legal Services Authorities (LSA) Act, 1987 to provide free and competent legal services to the poor, marginalised and weaker sections of the society as covered under Section 12 of the LSA Act including the State of Madhya Pradesh. For this purpose, the legal services institutions have been setup from the Taluk Court level to the Supreme Court. Madhya Pradesh  State  Legal  Services Authority  function  through  51  District  Legal  Services Authorities and 174 Taluk Legal Services Committees.

- (b) to (d) : During January 2025 to September 2025, 15,811 citizens were provided legal assistance through 80 operational Legal Aid Clinics in the State of Uttar Pradesh. During the same period, 1,45,613 citizens were provided legal assistance through 1,189 Legal Aid Clinics in the State of Madhya Pradesh. During January 2025 to September 2025, 3,36,21,409 cases were settled through Lok Adalats in the State of Uttar Pradesh and 4,04,992 cases were settled in the State of Madhya Pradesh. Uttar Pradesh State Legal Services Authority and Madhya Pradesh State Legal Service Authority organised 1,614 and 13,779 Legal Awareness Programmes which were attended by 1,68,586 and 8,65,458 persons respectively during the period 2025-26 (upto September, 2025).

The details of functional Legal Aid Clinics, number of persons benefitted and details of  cases  taken  up  and  settled  by  Lok  Adalats  in  the  districts  of  Katni,  Panna  and Chhatarpur (Khajuraho) of Madhya Pradesh during January 2025 to September 2025, are as follows: -

## Number of Legal Aid Clinics and Beneficiaries

| District               |   Legal Aid Clinics | No. of Beneficiaries   |
|------------------------|---------------------|------------------------|
| Katni                  |                  13 | 167                    |
| Panna                  |                   9 | 55                     |
| Chhatarpur (Khajuraho) |                   1 | -                      |

## Number of cases taken up and settled by Lok Adalats

| District               | Pre-Litigation cases   | Pre-Litigation cases   | Pending Cases   | Pending Cases   | Total    | Total   |
|------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|-----------------|-----------------|----------|---------|
| District               | Taken up               | Settled                | Taken up        | Settled         | Taken up | Settled |
| Katni                  | 15,493                 | 10,731                 | 4,157           | 1,848           | 19,650   | 12,579  |
| Panna                  | 28,552                 | 968                    | 1,955           | 621             | 30,507   | 1,589   |
| Chhatarpur (Khajuraho) | 209                    | 138                    | 134             | 123             | 343      | 261     |

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