Citizens' Tele-Law Mobile App Provides Pre-Litigation Advice Free Of Cost To Eligible Persons, 14.9 Lakh Beneficiaries So Far: Law Ministry

The Law Minister has stated that the App is available in 6 languages viz English, Hindi, Marathi, Punjabi, Tamil and Telugu on both Android and iOS platform and so far, 1,79,339 advice were enabled to the beneficiaries, including rural population..

The information was provided in response to the following questions raised by MP P Ravindhranath:

"(a) whether the Tele-Law mobile app launched with the objective of providing/ensuring legal information to the people and empower them to access dispute redressal from the respected forum has been able to penetrate the rural population and, if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether any alternative to Mobile App like regular voice call facility that is currently available for providing this service, since access to smart phones may not be available to the entire rural population especially the elderly and, if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the Government has taken any initiatives to create awareness about the benefits and operations of this app among public"

Law Minister Kiren Rijiju stated that the method of direct consultation through Apps supplements the already-existing assisted model of seeking legal advice available at Common Service Centres (CSCs) at the Panchayat level which connects individual beneficiaries with Panel Lawyers via telephonic and video conferencing facilities, available at these CSCs. He added that Tele-Law is presently operating in 669 Districts across 36 States/UTs covering 75,000 Gram Panchayats.

He stated that the service at CSCs is free for persons entitled under Section 12 of the Legal Services Authorities (LSA) Act, 1987 and for others at Rs.30/- per consultation. Tele-Law has enabled advice to more than 14.89 lakh beneficiaries till 28th February, 2022, he also added.

Further, he responded that awareness about the App has also been spread through social media, including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Youtube and Koo.E-tutorials and user manuals for the application have been made available on the Tele-Law website.

MP P Ravindhranath also sought details regarding the initiatives to create awareness about the App along with the actions taken by the Government to ensure free legal aid under Section 12 of Legal Service Authority.

In furtherance, the Law Minister responded that the legal services institutions have been set up from the Taluk Court levels to the Supreme Court. He replied that during the period from April, 2021 to January, 2022, 62.21 lakhs persons have been provided with free legal services and 133.27 lakhs cases (pending in courts and disputes at pre-litigation stage) have been settled through LokAdalats/e-LokAdalats.

Moreover, he stated that Legal Aid Clinics have also been set up in jails, observation homes, juvenile justice boards which are manned by panel lawyers and para legal volunteers of legal services authorities. To enable equitable access to justice, National Legal Services Authorities (NALSA) has also launched Legal Services Mobile App on Android and iOS Version to enable easy access to legal aid to common citizens, he added.

In addition to the above, he mentioned,

"The Government has launched Nyaya Bandhu (Pro-bono Legal Services) programme to link the persons eligible to avail free legal aid under Section 12 of LSA Act, 1987 with the pro-bono lawyers. 3989 pro bono advocates have been registered under the programme and 1552 cases have been registered by the beneficiaries till 28th February, 2022."

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