This policy outlines the ongoing efforts of the Ministry of Law and Justice, through the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), to provide free and competent legal services to weaker sections of society, as mandated by the Legal Services Authorities (LSA) Act, 1987. These efforts include legal awareness programs, legal aid, and the organization of Lok Adalats for dispute resolution.
Key initiatives and outcomes include:
* **Legal Aid and Advice:** NALSA provided legal aid and advice to 12,14,769 people in 2022-23, 15,50,164 in 2023-24, and 16,57,527 in 2024-25, totaling 44,22,460 beneficiaries.
* **Lok Adalats:** A total of 34,03,226 cases/issues were settled through State Lok Adalats, 6,41,881 through Permanent Lok Adalats, and 23,17,94,346 through National Lok Adalats (data for National Lok Adalats pertains to calendar years 2022, 2023, and 2024).
* **Legal Awareness Programs:** Legal Services Authorities organized 4,90,055 legal awareness programs in 2022-23, 4,30,306 in 2023-24, and 4,62,988 in 2024-25, reaching 6,75,17,665, 4,49,22,092, and 3,72,32,850 individuals respectively.
* **Legal Aid Defense Counsel System (LADCS):** The Central Sector Scheme, LADCS, has been implemented through NALSA since 2023-24 to provide legal aid in criminal cases. As of June 30, 2025, LADCS offices are functional in 662 districts across the country. 3,36,830 cases were assigned to LADCs in 2023-24 with 2,12,505 cases disposed of. In 2024-25, 5,32,413 cases were assigned, and 3,72,750 were disposed of.
This information was provided by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Law and Justice, Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal, in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha on July 24, 2025.
Key Entities Referenced
National Legal Services Authority: A statutory body constituted under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, to provide free and competent legal services to weaker sections of society.
Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987: The act under which the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) was constituted.
Lok Adalats: Forums organized for amicable settlement of disputes.
Legal Aid Defense Counsel System: A Central Sector Scheme implemented through NALSA to provide legal aid in criminal cases.
Legal Aid Defense Counsel: Legal representatives within the Legal Aid Defense Counsel System LADCS Scheme.
Ministry of Law and Justice: The government ministry responsible for legal affairs and legislation.
Rajya Sabha: The Upper House of the Parliament of India, where a question related to the information was raised.
Delhi: Location of the Press Information Bureau (PIB) office that posted the information.
Ministry of Law and Justice
Legal awareness camps and programmes
Legal Aid Defense Counsel (LADC) offices are
functional in 662 districts across the country
Posted On: 24 JUL 2025 4:26PM by PIB Delhi
The National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) was constituted under the Legal Services Authorities
(LSA) Act, 1987 to provide free and competent legal services to the weaker sections of the society
including beneficiaries covered under Section 12 of the LSA Act, 1987, which aims to ensure that the
opportunities for securing justice are not denied to any citizen by reason of economic or other disabilities,
and to organize Lok Adalats for amicable settlement of disputes. In addition, NALSA has also formulated
various schemes for the implementation of preventive and strategic legal service programmes, which are
implemented by the Legal Services Authorities at various levels i.e. State, District and Taluka level. The
details of persons benefited through Legal aid and advice under various activities/programmes undertaken
by Legal Services Authorities during the last three years are as under:
Year Persons benefited through Legal aid and advice
2022-23 12,14,769
2023-24 15,50,164
2024-25 16,57,527
Total 44,22,460
The details of cases/issues settled through Lok Adalats are as under:
Year State Lok Adalat Permanent Lok Adalat National Lok Adalat*
2022-23 8,51,309 1,71,138 4,19,26,010
2023-24 12,07,103 2,32,763 8,53,42,217
2024-25 13,44,814 2,37,980 10,45,26,119
Total 34,03,226 6,41,881 23,17,94,346
* Data in respect of National Lok Adalat pertains to the calendar year of 2022, 2023 and 2024.
The legal awareness programmes are held across the country by Legal Service Authorities in regard to
various laws and schemes relating to children, labourers, victims of disaster, SC and ST, persons suffering
from disability, etc. The Legal Services Authorities also prepare booklets and pamphlets in simple
language on various laws which are distributed amongst the people. The details of legal awareness
camps/programs organized by Legal Service Authorities during the last three years are as under:
Year No. of Legal Awareness programmes organised No. of Persons attended
2022-23 4,90,055 6,75,17,665
2023-24 4,30,306 4,49,22,0922024-25 4,62,988 3,72,32,850
Total 13,83,349 14,96,72,607
The Government of India is also implementing a Central Sector Scheme namely; Legal Aid Defense
Counsel System (LADCS) Scheme through NALSA since 2023-24. This Scheme aims to provide legal aid
with regard to criminal cases to the beneficiaries eligible for legal aid under Section 12 of the LSA Act,
th
1987. As on 30 June 2025, LADC offices are functional in 662 districts across the country. The details of
cases assigned to and disposed by Legal Aid Defence Counsels (LADCSs) during the last two years are as
under:
Year Cases assigned to LADCs Cases disposed by LADCs
2023-24 3,36,830 2,12,505
2024-25 5,32,413 3,72,750
Total 8,69,243 5,85,255
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 a written reply to a
question in the Rajya Sabha today.
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Samrat/Allen
(Release ID: 2147770)