NALSA Launches Web Application For Free Legal Services To Prisoners

The National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) on Wednesday launched a Web Application for free Legal Services to prisoners, and the Legal Services Management System developed through the NIC.

Through the Web Application, the information regarding legal representation of individual prison inmates will be fed by the State Legal Services Authorities and District Legal Services Authorities.

The software will, therefore, be able to generate reports showing total number of inmates, number of inmates unrepresented, number of inmates represented by legal services lawyers, and number of inmates represented by private lawyers.

Further, the Information is capable of being sorted State-wise, District-wise and jail-wise. Reports can also be generated by entering the period of incarceration, which will in turn generate information with regard to prisoners eligible for bail under Section 436-A Cr.P.C.

Elaborating on the intent behind the Application, a press release on the initiative says, “The said application shall make the legal services system more transparent; this application will be universally useful for all the relevant authorities to monitor the grant of legal aid to the prisoners in order to ensure that absolutely no prisoner goes unrepresented right from the first day of his production in the court.”

The Application was launched by Supreme Court Judge, Justice Dipak Misra, who is also the Executive Chairman of NALSA, at a conference held at Indian Law Institute, New Delhi. The Conference was attended by the Member Secretaries along with their administrative officers of 18 State Legal Services Authorities. The launch was followed by an orientation session conducted by the NIC team.