In News
- Almost 4 Lakh beneficiaries having received legal advice under this through CSCs (Common Service Centres)
Background
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- The main objective of the Tele-law program is to diagnose the cases before the trial. According to recently published data, the number of beneficiaries receiving legal advice by Tele-law has reached 4 lakhs.
- From April 2020 to October 2020, this program has provided legal assistance to 250,000 people. This law mainly provides legal assistance to the poor and the deprived of society.
- According to current data, so far about 423400 cases have been registered in this program, out of which legal assistance has been given in 409432 cases.
- 29860 CSC centers are set up for the smooth implementation of this program.
Tele-Law programme
- It was launched by the Department of Justice in 2017 to address cases at the pre–litigation stage.
- Under this programme, smart technology of video conferencing, telephone /instant calling facilities available at the vast network of Common Service Centres at the Panchayat level are used to connect the vulnerable communities with the Panel Lawyers for seeking timely and valuable legal advice.
- It is proactively outreached to groups and communities through a cadre of frontline volunteers provided by NALSA and CSC- e Gov.
Tele Law: Eligibility and Procedure
- As per clause 12 under the Legal Services Authority 1987, free legal advice will be given to people belonging to scheduled castes, scheduled tribes (including women and children) through the Tele-law program. People of other communities will have to pay a fee of Rs 30.
- Under this program, the vulnerable sections and poor people are joined by a group of advocates. These advocates are elected by the Department of Justice and CSC-E Governance Services, or they are registered with the State or District Legal Services Committee.
- It uses technology like video-conferencing, telephone calls.
- Tele-law app have been made to ensure this facility in remote areas.
- Information about this program is available in 22 languages on the web portal.
- Tele-law dashboard contains real-time data about registered cases and advice.
NALSA
National Legal Services Authority – NALSA is Statutory authority Constituted under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 to monitor and evaluate implementation of legal aid programmes and to lay down policies and principles for making legal services available under the Act.
Objective
- To realize constitutional goals, the Legal Services Authorities Act (1987) was enacted by the Parliament to establish a nationwide uniform network.
- Providing free and competent legal services to the weaker sections of the society on the basis of equal opportunity.
- The NALSA lays down policies, principles, guidelines and frames effective and economical schemes for the State Legal Services Authorities to implement the Legal Services Programmes throughout the country.
Structure
- The Supreme Court Legal Services Committee – has been constituted to administer and implement the legal services programme in so far as it relates to the SC.
- State Legal Services Authority – In every State have been constituted.
- High Court Legal Services Committee – In every HC have been constituted.
- District Legal Services Authorities – In every district have been constituted
- Taluk Legal Services Committees – constituted in most of the Taluks to provide free legal services to the people and conduct Lok Adalat in the State.
Composition
- NALSA shall consist of the CJI who shall be the Patron-in-Chief and a serving or retired Judge of the SC to be nominated by the President, in consultation with the CJI, who shall be the Executive Chairman.
- Persons eligible for getting free legal services includes –
- Women and children
- Members of SC/ST
- Industrial workmen
- Victims of mass disaster, violence, flood, drought, earthquake, industrial disaster.
- Differently abled persons,Victims of trafficking in human beings or beggars.
