Parliament Question: Access to justice for persons with disabilities.

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1546 ANSWERED ON 12/02/2026 ACCESS TO JUSTICE FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

1546. # SHRI NARESH BANSAL:

Will the Minister of Law and Justice be pleased to state:

(a) the legal aid services available to persons with disabilities;

(b) the functioning of the Special Legal Services Units established for persons with mental illness and intellectual disability;

(c) the details of accessibility standards set for judicial Infrastructure;

(d) whether advanced accessibility facilities for persons with disabilities have been incorporated in the Phase III e-Courts; and

(e) if so, the details thereof? ANSWER 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)

(a) and (b): 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.

NALSA is also implementing a specific Scheme for Persons with Disabilities named NALSA (Legal Services to the Mentally Ill and Persons with Intellectual Disabilities) Scheme,

2024. This Scheme aims to ensure that legal services are responsive to the specific legal and social needs of persons with mental illness and persons with intellectual disabilities. Under this Scheme, specialised ‘Legal Services Unit for Persons with Mental Illness & Persons withIntellectual Disabilities called ‘Manonyay’ (LSUM)’ units have been established in all States/UTs except Ladakh and Dadra & Nagar Haveli.

The details of the persons with disabilities provided legal services under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 during the last three financial years and the current financial year 2025-2026 (upto December,2025) is as under:

Financial Year Number of persons with disabilities

provided legal services 2022-23 5,050 2023-24 11,591 2024-25 8,313 2025-26 (upto December, 2025) 10,119

(c): 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.

(d) and (e): 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. S3WaaS platform has features for easy visibility of content for partially and completely visually challenged citizens.

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