**Executive Summary**
The document outlines measures undertaken by the Indian Government to ensure affordable, quality, and speedy legal services for all, including Persons with Disabilities (PwD). It details initiatives by the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), the National Judicial Academy (NJA), and the implementation of infrastructure development schemes to improve accessibility in judicial environments. The report was issued on December 4, 2023.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Legal Services and Assessment:**
* The Legal Services Authorities (LSA) Act, 1987, provides free legal services to weaker sections, including PwD.
* NALSA organizes meetings to assess the quality of legal aid provided to citizens, including PwD.
* The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Ministry of Law and Justice assesses the working of Legal Aid under the LSA Act, 1987.
* **Judicial Training and Sensitization:**
* NJA conducts programs for the judiciary with specialized sessions focusing on sensitization towards the needs and rights of PwD.
* NJA incorporates sensitization components into academic programs for judiciary.
* NALSA has prepared a 'Module for the Training of Lawyers', which includes training on PwD.
* **Infrastructure Development:**
* The Government implements a centrally sponsored scheme for developing infrastructure in District and Subordinate Courts, ensuring disabled-friendly design.
* Building designs conform to accessibility standards laid down by various departments, including the Central Public Works Department.
* Funds allotted to States/UTs under the scheme are used for the designated purpose.
* **eCourts Project Phase III:**
* Under eCourts Project Phase III, 24 components have several significant measures devised to foster the creation of a robust and accessible digital infrastructure for citizens including Persons with Disabilities
* Rs. 27.54 crore budget for ICT enabled facilities for PwD.
* Rs. 6.35 crore budget for website migration to S3WaaS platform (Secure, Scalable and Sugamya Website as a Service) for accessibility.
* The S3WaaS platform includes features for easy visibility of content for visually challenged citizens.
**Impact Analysis**
**Ministry of Law and Justice**
* **Impact**: The ministry is responsible for implementing the Legal Services Authorities Act and overseeing initiatives for accessibility.
* **Action Required**: Continue to support and monitor NALSA, NJA, and infrastructure development schemes for Persons with Disabilities.
**National Legal Services Authority (NALSA)**
* **Impact**: NALSA is responsible for assessing and improving the quality of legal aid to Persons with Disabilities.
* **Action Required**: Continue organizing meets to assess legal aid quality and implement the 'Module for the Training of Lawyers.'
**National Judicial Academy (NJA)**
* **Impact**: NJA plays a crucial role in sensitizing the judiciary towards the needs and rights of Persons with Disabilities.
* **Action Required**: Continue conducting programs for the judiciary with specialized sessions on accessibility.
**State Governments/UTs**
* **Impact**: Responsible for implementing infrastructure development schemes and ensuring disabled-friendly designs in courts.
* **Action Required**: Ensure proposed infrastructure has disabled-friendly design and utilize allotted funds for the designated purpose.
**Judiciary**
* **Impact**: The judiciary needs to be aware and sensitive to the rights of Persons with Disabilities to ensure access to justice.
* **Action Required**: Attend training programs conducted by NJA to understand legal frameworks, best practices, and practical implementation of accessibility standards.
**Persons with Disabilities (PwD)**
* **Impact**: The measures aim to improve access to legal services and judicial environments for Persons with Disabilities.
* **Action Required**: Utilize available legal aid services and accessible infrastructure in courts.
Key Entities Referenced
Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987: Act providing free and competent legal services to weaker sections, including Persons with Disabilities.
eCourts Project Phase III: Project with measures to create a robust and accessible digital infrastructure for citizens, including Persons with Disabilities.
National Legal Services Authority (NALSA): Authority that organizes events to assess the quality of legal aid for citizens, including Persons with Disabilities.
Centrally Sponsored Scheme: Scheme for development of infrastructure facilities for District and Subordinate Courts, ensuring disabled-friendly design.
Ministry of Law and Justice
Access for Persons with Disabilities in Judicial
Environments
प्रव तथ: 04 DEC 2025 1:44PM by PIB Delhi
The Government has undertaken several measures to make available affordable, quality and speedy legal
services to the common man, including Persons with Disabilities. The legal Services Authorities (LSA)
Act, 1987 provides for free and competent legal services to the weaker sections of the society including
Persons with Disabilities. In order to assess the quality of legal aid to the citizens including Persons with
Disabilities, National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) organizes All India Meets and Regional Meets
both virtually and physically from time to time. Further, the Department-Related Parliamentary Standing
Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Ministry of Law and Justice also assess the working of Legal
Aid under the Legal Services Authorities Act (LSA), 1987.
National Judicial Academy (NJA), under guidance of the National Judicial Academic Council (NJAC)
chaired by Hon’ble Chief Justice of India, is regularly conducting programs for judiciary that include
specialised sessions focusing on sensitization towards the needs and rights of Persons with Disabilities and
ensuring access to justice for them. These programs feature renowned dignitaries and subject experts to
guide the participants on relevant legal frameworks, best practices, and the practical implementation of
accessibility standards. Understanding the significance of this crucial issue, NJA has been proactively
incorporating this sensitization component into its various academic programs for judiciary.
NALSA has prepared ‘Module for the Training of Lawyers” which also includes training on Persons with
Disability. The inter-alia objective of the said Module is to help participants in understanding disability,
their attitude towards the disabled, both socially as well as individually, constitutional rights of the PWD
and the laws relating to disabilities.
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. It is ensured that the funds allotted to States/UTs under Central Sponsored Scheme are utilised for the
designated purpose.
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, at a budgetary outlay of Rs. 6.35 crore. S3WaaS platform has
features for easy visibility of content for partially and completely visually challenged citizens.This information was given by the 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 in Rajya
Sabha today.
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Samrat
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