**Executive Summary**
This document provides the answer to an unstarred question in Lok Sabha on December 12, 2025, regarding legal aid to persons with disabilities. It outlines the existing arrangements for providing legal aid, the scope of Legal Services Units for persons with mental illness and intellectual disabilities, accessibility requirements for judicial infrastructure, and measures adopted under the e-Courts Project Phase III. The government is undertaking several measures with a deadline of 2024 to ensure affordable, quality, and speedy legal services for persons with disabilities.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Legal Aid Framework:**
* The Legal Services Authorities (LSA) Act, 1987 provides free and competent legal services to weaker sections of society, including persons with disabilities.
* NALSA (Legal Services to the Mentally Ill and Persons with Intellectual Disabilities) Scheme aims to make legal services responsive to the needs of individuals with mental illness and intellectual disabilities with a deadline of 2024.
* Specialized 'Manonyay' (LSUM) units are established in all States/UTs except Ladakh and Dadra & Nagar Haveli.
* **Judicial Infrastructure Accessibility:**
* A centrally sponsored scheme is being implemented for the development of infrastructure facilities for District and Subordinate Courts.
* The scheme is managed by State Governments/UTs for construction of Court Halls, Residential Units for Judicial Officers, Lawyers' Hall, Digital Computer Rooms and Toilet Complexes.
* Proposed infrastructure must have disabled-friendly design as per specified accessibility standards set by the Central Public Works Department, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, and Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
* **E-Courts Project Phase III:**
* The eCourts Project Phase III includes 24 components and measures to create accessible digital infrastructure for all citizens, including persons with disabilities.
* Enhanced accessible ICT enabled facilities will be provided to persons with disabilities.
* Websites of 752 courts (including High Courts) are being migrated to the S3WaaS platform to enhance accessibility for persons with disabilities.
* The S3WaaS platform includes features for easy visibility of content for partially and completely visually challenged citizens.
**Impact Analysis**
**Persons with Disabilities**
* **Impact:** Benefit from improved accessibility to legal aid and judicial services, including specialized units for individuals with mental illness and intellectual disabilities and enhanced digital accessibility.
* **Action Required:** Access and utilize the available legal aid services and utilize the accessible features of court infrastructure and digital platforms.
**State Governments/Union Territories**
* **Impact:** Expected to develop and implement accessible infrastructure and legal services in line with central government schemes and guidelines.
* **Action Required:** Ensure compliance with accessibility standards for judicial infrastructure, establish and support specialized legal service units, and participate in the e-Courts Project Phase III.
**Courts (District and Subordinate Courts, High Courts)**
* **Impact:** Will need to adapt to updated infrastructure and digital accessibility standards.
* **Action Required:** Migrate court websites to the S3WaaS platform, implement accessible ICT facilities, and ensure accessibility of court buildings and services for persons with disabilities.
**Central Government Departments (Central Public Works Department, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment)**
* **Impact:** Responsible for establishing and updating accessibility standards and providing support for infrastructure development.
* **Action Required:** Continue to update and enforce accessibility standards, provide resources for the development of accessible infrastructure, and monitor the implementation of accessibility measures.
Key Entities Referenced
Legal Services Authorities (LSA) Act, 1987: Provides for free and competent legal services to weaker sections of society, including persons with disabilities.
NALSA (Legal Services to the Mentally Ill and Persons with Intellectual Disabilities) Scheme: A specific scheme implemented by NALSA for Persons with Disabilities.
eCourts Project Phase III: Project to make digital court platforms and websites more accessible to persons with disabilities.
Manonyay (LSUM): Specialized ‘Legal Services Unit for Persons with Mental Illness & Persons with Intellectual Disabilities
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO - 2162
TO BE ANSWERED ON FRIDAY – 12/12/2025
LEGAL AID TO PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
2162. Shri Tejasvi Surya:
Shri Ashish Dubey:
Will the Minister of Law and Justice be pleased to state:
(a) the arrangements currently in place for providing legal aid and specialised legal services to
persons with disabilities;
(b) the scope and functioning of the Legal Services Units for Persons with Mental Illness and
Intellectual Disabilities established across States and Union Territories;
(c) the accessibility related requirements prescribed for judicial infrastructure under the Centrally
Sponsored Schemes; and
(d) the measures adopted under the e-Courts Project Phase III to make digital court platforms and
websites more accessible to persons with disabilities?
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,
(1)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 with
Intellectual Disabilities called ‘Manonyay’ (LSUM)’ units have been established in all
States/UTs except Ladakh and Dadra & Nagar Haveli.
(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) 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, 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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