Executive Summary:
This document provides the Minister of Law and Justice's response to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 3296 regarding access to free legal aid and digital justice delivery. It details the number of beneficiaries who availed free legal aid under NALSA during the last three years, state-wise, including Karnataka. It also outlines the steps taken by the government to strengthen digital infrastructure for court proceedings and legal aid delivery, along with budgetary allocations.
Key Points / Main Content:
Legal Aid Services (NALSA):
* NALSA was constituted under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, to provide free legal services to weaker sections, ensuring equal access to justice and organizing Lok Adalats.
* NALSA implements preventive and strategic legal service programs through Legal Services Authorities at State, District, and Taluka levels.
* Annexure A provides State/UT-wise details of beneficiaries under various activities/programs undertaken by Legal Services Authorities during the last three years.
Digital Infrastructure for Courts (eCourts Project):
* eFiling system version 3.0 has been rolled out for lawyers to access and upload documents 24/7.
* ePayment system has been launched for fee transfers.
* National Service and Tracking of Electronic Processes (NSTEP) has been launched for technology-enabled process serving and summons issuing.
* A free Judgment Search portal has been started for searching by Bench, Case Type, Case Number, Year, Petitioner/Respondent Name, etc.
* 1814 eSewa Kendras (Facilitation Centres) have been established across India.
* 29 Virtual Courts are functioning across 21 States/UTs for traffic-related offenses.
* eCourts services are available on case status, cause lists, judgments, etc., via SMS, email, multilingual portal, Info Kiosks, and Mobile Apps (3.16 crore downloads for lawyers/litigants, 21,716 downloads for judges).
* Case Information System (CIS) version 4.0 is implemented across district and taluka courts for objectivity, consistency, transparency, and speed.
Digital Infrastructure in Karnataka:
* Adequate IT infrastructure, including computers, printers, and scanners, has been provided.
* Kiosks are installed, and eSewa Kendras are established in each court complex with video conferencing facilities.
* All courts are equipped with video conferencing under the eCourts project, with additional financial support from the Government of Karnataka.
* Supplementary funds allocated by the State Government for setting up eSewa Kendras.
* Phase III of eCourts Project budgetary allocation for Karnataka High Court:
* 2023-24: Rs. 35.86 crore
* 2024-25: Rs. 67.65 crore
* 2025-26: Rs. 48.06 crore
* Total: Rs. 151.57 crore
Strengthening Legal Aid Delivery:
* NALSA has created a web portal for filing legal assistance applications and tracking progress.
* NALSA has launched a Legal Services Mobile App for seeking legal assistance, advice, tracking applications, and applying for victim compensation.
* Legal Services Authorities provide legal advice through NALSA's National Toll-Free Helpline Number 15100.
* The Legal Aid Defense Counsel System (LADCS) Scheme, implemented through NALSA since 2023-24, provides legal aid in criminal cases to eligible beneficiaries.
Karnataka SLSA Initiatives:
* Karnataka SLSA has taken steps to strengthen digital infrastructure for legal aid delivery, including providing WiFi facilities in LADCS Offices, computers, monitors, and printers for LADC Counsels, and enabling video conferencing for court proceedings, with a utilization of Rs. 15 lakh for digital and other infrastructure of the LADCS office.
Impact Analysis:
Beneficiaries of Legal Aid (Weaker Sections of Society):
* Impact: Increased access to free and competent legal services, ensuring justice is not denied due to economic or other disabilities.
* Action Required: Utilize available legal aid services provided by NALSA and Legal Services Authorities.
Lawyers:
* Impact: Enhanced access to case-related documents, improved efficiency through digital case management, and streamlined fee payment processes.
* Action Required: Utilize eFiling system version 3.0 and ePayment system for improved workflow.
Litigants:
* Impact: Easier access to case status, cause lists, and judgments, reduced hassle through eSewa Kendras, and convenience through mobile apps.
* Action Required: Utilize eSewa Kendras and eCourts Mobile App for accessing information and services.
Judges:
* Impact: Access to the JustIS App for efficient case management and improved court processes through CIS version 4.0.
* Action Required: Utilize JustIS App and CIS version 4.0 for improved case management and court processes.
State Governments (Specifically Karnataka):
* Impact: Requirement to provide adequate IT infrastructure and financial support for the eCourts project and eSewa Kendras.
* Action Required: Continue providing IT infrastructure and financial support for the eCourts project and eSewa Kendras.
Key Entities Referenced
National Legal Services Authority (NALSA): A statutory body constituted under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, to provide free and competent legal services to the weaker sections of society and organize Lok Adalats.
Legal Services Authorities (LSA) Act, 1987: The act under which NALSA was constituted, aiming to ensure access to justice for all citizens.
eCourts Project: A project to improve court management processes and digitize services for stakeholders like lawyers, litigants, and judges.
eSewa Kendras: Facilitation centers established across India to provide easy access to citizen-centric services related to court proceedings.
Case Information System (CIS): A software implemented across district and taluka courts to bring objectivity, consistency, transparency, and speed to case management.
Karnataka: A state in India where IT infrastructure and eSewa Kendras have been established in court complexes under the eCourts project, with additional financial support from the Government of Karnataka.
Legal Aid Defense Counsel System (LADCS) Scheme: A Central Sector Scheme implemented through NALSA to provide legal aid in criminal cases to eligible beneficiaries.
Bengaluru: A city in Karnataka, specifically Bengaluru Urban and Bengaluru Rural, where steps have been taken to strengthen digital infrastructure for legal aid delivery in district and taluk-level courts.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO - 3296
TO BE ANSWERED ON FRIDAY, THE 08TH AUGUST, 2025
ACCESS TO LEGAL AID AND DIGITAL JUSTICE DELIVERY
3296. SHRI P C MOHAN:
Will the Minister of LAW AND JUSTICE be pleased to state:
(a) the number of beneficiaries who have availed free legal aid under the National Legal
Services Authority (NALSA) during the last three years, State-wise including
Karnataka;
(b) whether the Government has taken any steps to strengthen digital infrastructure for
court proceedings and legal aid delivery in district and taluk-level courts, particularly in
Bengaluru and other urban centres; and
(c) if so, the details thereof and the budgetary allocation made in this regard?
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): 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 State/UT-wise (including Karnataka) details of
beneficiaries under various activities/programmes undertaken by Legal Services
Authorities during the last three years are at Annexure - A.
(1)(b) and (c): Several steps have been taken under the eCourts Project, to improve the court
management processes and digitize the services for the various stakeholders, such as,
lawyers, litigants, judges and others, which are as under:
i. Under the digital case management system, eFiling system (version 3.0) has been rolled
out with upgraded features for lawyers to access and upload documents related to the
cases from any location 24x7.
ii. ePayment system has been launched for hassle free transfer of fee, etc.
iii. National Service and Tracking of Electronic Processes (NSTEP) has been launched for
technology enabled process serving and issuing of summons.
iv. A Judgment Search portal has been started with features such as search by Bench, Case
Type, Case Number, Year, Petitioner/Respondent Name, etc. This facility is being
provided free of cost to all.
v. To facilitate easy and hassle-free access to citizen-centric services, 1814 eSewa Kendras
(Facilitation Centres) have been established across India.
vi. 29 Virtual Courts are functioning across 21 States/UTs for trying traffic related offences.
vii. Several eCourts services, are available on case status, cause lists, judgements etc. to
lawyers/ litigants including SMS Push and Pull, email, multilingual eCourts services
Portal, Info Kiosks, eCourts Mobile App for lawyers/litigants (3.16 crore downloads till
date) and JustIS App for judges (21,716 downloads till date).
viii. To bring in greater objectivity, consistency, transparency and speed, Case Information
System (CIS) version 4.0 software has been implemented across the district and taluka
courts across the country.
In Karnataka, adequate IT infrastructure including computers, printers, scanners, and
related hardware have been provided. Kiosks are installed at the court complex level, and
eSewa Kendras are established in each court complex to serve as help desks equipped with
video conferencing facilities. All courts are equipped with video conferencing under the
eCourts project, with additional financial support from the Government of Karnataka. The
State Government has also allocated supplementary funds for setting up eSewa Kendras.
(2)Under Phase – III of eCourts Project, the budgetary allocation made for the Karnataka
High Court is as under:
Financial Year Amount Released (Rs. in crore)
2023-24 35.86
2024-25 67.65
2025-26 48.06
Total 151.57
To strengthen legal aid delivery at the district and taluk (sub-district) levels in India, the
following steps have been taken:
i. NALSA has created a web portal to file an application for getting legal assistance and
track its progress.
ii. NALSA has launched a Legal Services Mobile App for Android and IOS version which
facilitate seeking legal assistance, legal advice, tracking of application, applying for
victim compensation, etc.
iii. Legal Services Authorities are also providing legal advice through NALSA’s National
Toll-Free Helpline Number 15100 through IVRS Technology.
The Government of India is also implementing a Central Sector Scheme namely; Legal
Aid Defense Counsel System (LADCS) Scheme through NALSA since 2023-24, which aims
to provide legal aid with regard to criminal cases to the beneficiaries eligible for legal aid
under Section 12 of the LSA Act, 1987. The following steps have been taken by Karnataka
SLSA to strengthen digital infrastructure for legal aid delivery in district and taluk-level
courts including Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru Rural and Mysuru which utilized Rs. 15 lakh
for both digital and other infrastructure of the office of LADCS:
i. Wi-Fi facilities provided in LADCS Office for the LADC Counsels to access digital e-
General like SCR.
ii. LADC Counsels are provided computer, monitors and printers for their day-to-day work.
iii. LADC counsels can appear through Video Conference in the court proceedings.
*****
(3)Annexure-A
Statement referred to in reply to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 3296 for answer
on 08.08.2025 regarding ‘Access to Legal Aid and Digital Justice Delivery’
S.No. Name of the State/UT Authority 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25
1 Andaman and Nicobar Islands 134 220 341
2 Andhra Pradesh 9,473 8,265 11,266
3 Arunachal Pradesh 5,559 5,696 9,236
4 Assam 38,335 63,749 82,694
5 Bihar 2,09,809 1,51,413 84,505
6 Chandigarh 2,653 2,822 2,951
7 Chhattisgarh 44,106 62,164 80,874
Dadra and Nagar Haveli 28 55 45
8
Daman and Diu 24 34 119
9 Delhi 96,433 1,21,882 76,526
10 Goa 2,041 1,558 1,889
11 Gujarat 32,422 40,569 50,467
12 Haryana 43,098 76,863 82,194
13 Himachal Pradesh 5,998 7,346 6,222
14 Jammu and Kashmir 7,992 11,396 18,602
15 Jharkhand 1,45,217 2,69,303 3,28,365
16 Karnataka 45,663 53,406 51,245
17 Kerala 23,418 36,498 26,571
18 Ladakh 711 505 324
19 Lakshadweep 0 0 1
20 Madhya Pradesh 1,91,921 2,25,510 2,33,009
21 Maharashtra 36,663 53,756 59,454
22 Manipur 26,929 62,635 99,062
23 Meghalaya 2,769 2,371 2,754
24 Mizoram 5,038 4,801 3,713
25 Nagaland 7,390 4,603 5,012
26 Odisha 11,880 19,289 22,134
27 Puducherry 788 621 616
28 Punjab 56,448 60,361 65,513
29 Rajasthan 13,472 20,290 22,216
30 Sikkim 1,127 1,074 901
31 Tamil Nadu 49,570 45,180 52,528
32 Telangana 12,615 13,193 16,021
33 Tripura 5,055 9,964 10,303
34 Uttar Pradesh 24,890 29,079 22,732
35 Uttarakhand 5,386 21,339 34,208
36 West Bengal 49,714 62,354 92,914
Total 12,14,769 15,50,164 16,57,527