Executive Summary:
This document summarizes the Indian government's initiatives to strengthen access to justice through Legal Services Authorities. It reports on the achievements, legal awareness camps, and the Legal Aid Defense Counsel System (LADCS) over the past three years (2022-2025). It also addresses performance evaluation mechanisms and special initiatives in underserved regions.
Key Points / Main Content:
Legal Services Authorities and NALSA:
* The National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) was constituted under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, to provide free legal services to weaker sections of society, ensuring justice is not denied due to economic or other disabilities.
* NALSA formulates preventive and strategic legal service programs implemented by Legal Services Authorities at State, District, and Taluka levels.
* Beneficiary details under various activities/programs undertaken by Legal Services Authorities during the last three years (2022-2025) are provided in Annexure A (State/UT-wise), but district-wise information is not maintained by NALSA.
Legal Awareness Programs:
* Legal awareness programs are conducted nationwide by Legal Service Authorities on laws and schemes related to children, laborers, disaster victims, SC/ST, and persons with disabilities.
* Booklets and pamphlets in simple language are prepared and distributed.
* The document provides data on the number of legal awareness programs organized and persons attended across the country, including Rajasthan, for the years 2022-2023, 2023-2024, and 2024-2025.
Legal Aid Defense Counsel System (LADCS):
* The Legal Aid Defense Counsel System (LADCS) scheme, a Central Sector Scheme implemented through NALSA since 2023-24, provides legal aid in criminal cases to eligible beneficiaries.
* As of June 30, 2025, LADC offices are functional in 662 districts across the country.
* Since inception, LADCs have been assigned 8,69,243 criminal cases, with 5,85,255 cases disposed of.
Performance Evaluation and Monitoring:
* The National Legal Services Authority Free and Competent Legal Services Regulations, 2010, provides a framework for monitoring and evaluating legal aid services through Monitoring and Mentoring Committees (MMCs) at various levels (Supreme Court, High Courts, SLSAs, DLSAs, TLSCs).
* MMCs oversee court-based legal aid, monitor case progress, and guide panel lawyers and LADCs.
* MMCs maintain registers, obtain periodic reports, assess lawyer performance, and advise on corrective actions.
* Performance of LADCS human resources is evaluated every six months by the SLSA.
* SLSAs provide monthly casework reporting to NALSA for real-time oversight and data-driven evaluation.
Special Initiatives for Underserved Regions:
* NALSA SAMVAD Scheme, 2025: Focuses on marginalized tribal and nomadic communities with a community-driven approach.
* NALSA JAGRITI Scheme, 2025: Aims to institutionalize legal awareness across rural India.
Impact Analysis:
Beneficiaries under Section 12 of the LSA Act, 1987 (weaker sections of the society):
* Impact: Improved access to free and competent legal services, ensuring justice is not denied due to economic or other disabilities.
* Action Required: Utilize the legal aid services provided by Legal Services Authorities and LADCS.
Legal Services Authorities (at State, District, and Taluka levels):
* Impact: Responsible for implementing preventive and strategic legal service programs.
* Action Required: Implement NALSA schemes effectively, conduct legal awareness programs, and maintain accurate records of beneficiaries.
Monitoring and Mentoring Committees (MMCs):
* Impact: Responsible for overseeing court-based legal aid delivery, monitoring case progress, and guiding legal aid providers.
* Action Required: Regularly monitor and evaluate legal aid services, assess lawyer performance, and advise on corrective actions.
State Legal Services Authorities (SLSAs):
* Impact: Play a key role in evaluating the performance of LADCS human resources.
* Action Required: Conduct performance evaluations every six months and provide monthly casework reports to NALSA.
National Legal Services Authority (NALSA):
* Impact: Overall responsible for the implementation and monitoring of legal aid schemes.
* Action Required: Provide guidance and support to SLSAs and DLSAs, monitor the progress of legal aid programs, and ensure data-driven evaluation.
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 weaker sections of society.
Legal Services Authorities (LSA): Authorities established at various levels (State, District, Taluka) to implement legal service programs and provide legal aid.
Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987: The act under which the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) was constituted and which governs the provision of free legal services.
Legal Aid Defense Counsel System (LADCS): A Central Sector Scheme implemented through NALSA to provide legal aid in criminal cases to eligible beneficiaries.
Rajasthan: A state in India where the number of legal awareness camps conducted was specifically tracked.
Supreme Court of India: The highest judicial body in India, mentioned in the context of Monitoring and Mentoring Committees (MMCs).
High Courts: The principal civil courts of original jurisdiction in each state and union territory, mentioned in the context of Monitoring and Mentoring Committees (MMCs).
NALSA SAMVAD Strengthening Access to Justice for Marginalized, Vulnerable Adivasis and Denotified/Nomadic Tribes Scheme, 2025: A NALSA scheme focusing on marginalized tribal and nomadic communities by adopting a community-driven approach rooted in awareness and assistance.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO - 944
TO BE ANSWERED ON FRIDAY - 25/07/2025
LEGAL AWARENESS CAMPS
944. SHRI ANURAG SINGH THAKUR:
SHRI BHOJRAJ NAG:
SHRI P P CHAUDHARY:
SHRI PARBHUBHAI NAGARBHAI VASAVA:
SHRI RAMESH AWASTHI:
SMT. SMITA UDAY WAGH:
SHRI JANARDAN MISHRA:
SHRI SURESH KUMAR KASHYAP:
MS KANGNA RANAUT:
Will the Minister of LAW AND JUSTICE be pleased to state:
(a) the key achievements of the Government in strengthening access to justice through
Legal Services Authorities during the last three years district and State-wise;
(b) the number of legal awareness camps conducted across the country during the last three
years, particularly in the State of Rajasthan;
(c) the impact and outreach of legal awareness camps and programmes conducted across
the country;
(d) the scope, implementation status and outcome of the Legal Aid Defense Counsel
System (LADCS) in providing free criminal defence to eligible beneficiaries;
(e) whether any performance evaluation or monitoring mechanisms have been put in place
to assess the efficiency of legal aid delivery under LADCS and related schemes; and
(f) whether there are any special initiatives to expand legal aid infrastructure, awareness, or
training in underserved regions, especially in semi-urban and rural areas?
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
(1)weaker sections of the society including the 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. 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 details of beneficiaries under
various activities/programmes undertaken by Legal Services Authorities during the last
three years are at Annexure - A. However, the district-wise information is not maintained
by NALSA.
(b) and (c): 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, for
distribution amongst the people. The details of legal awareness camps/programs organized
by Legal Service Authorities across the country (including Rajasthan) during the last three
years are as under:
Legal Awareness No. of Legal Awareness No. of
Year programs organised Persons programs organised Persons
in Rajasthan attended across the country attended
2022-23 1,42,253 65,28,772 4,90,055 6,75,17,665
2023-24 72,331 56,40,045 4,30,306 4,49,22,092
2024-25 62,011 33,62,084 4,62,988 3,72,32,850
Total 2,76,595 1,55,30,901 13,83,349 14,96,72,607
(d): 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. As on 30th June 2025, LADC offices are
functional in 662 districts across the country. Since inception, Legal Aid Defence
Counsels (LADCs) have been assigned with 8,69,243 criminal cases, of which 5,85,255
cases were disposed of.
(2)(e) The National Legal Services Authority (Free and Competent Legal Services) Regulations,
2010 provide for a robust framework for monitoring and evaluating legal aid services
through the Monitoring and Mentoring Committee (MMC) at all tiers i.e. Supreme Court
of India, High Courts, State Legal Services Authorities (SLSAs)/District Legal Services
Authorities (DLSAs) and Taluka Legal Services Committees (TLSCs). These committees
are responsible for overseeing court-based legal aid delivery, monitoring the progress of
assigned cases, and guiding panel lawyers and Legal Aid Defense Counsels (LADCs) in
providing quality legal services.
MMCs maintain registers to track the day-to-day progress and final outcomes of legal
aid cases. They obtain periodic reports from legal aid lawyers, assess their performance,
and advise concerned authorities to take corrective steps when progress is unsatisfactory.
This continuous follow-up mechanism ensures accountability, transparency, and quality
control in legal services. MMCs also evaluate lawyer performance to identify
underperformance or misconduct. Moreover, performance of each human resource
engaged under LADCS is evaluated every six months by the SLSA under the guidance of
the Hon’ble Executive Chairman of the SLSA. Additionally, monthly reporting of
casework by the LADCs is done by the SLSAs to NALSA, ensuring real-time oversight
and data-driven evaluation at the national level.
(f) Several steps have been taken to strengthen legal aid infrastructure, enhance legal
awareness, and promote training specifically in underserved regions, with a focused thrust
on semi-urban and rural areas, including the following:
(i) NALSA (SAMVAD - Strengthening Access to Justice for Marginalized, Vulnerable
Adivasis and Denotified/Nomadic Tribes) Scheme, 2025 which focuses specifically
on marginalized tribal and nomadic communities by adopting a community-driven
approach rooted in awareness and assistance.
(ii) NALSA JAGRITI – (Justice Awareness for Grassroots Information and
Transparency Initiative) Scheme, 2025 which aims to institutionalize legal
awareness across rural India.
*****
(3)Annexure-A
Statement referred to in reply to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 944 for answering
on 25.07.2025 - Legal Awareness Camps
Statement containing the details of persons benefited through Legal aid and advice
under various activities/programmes undertaken by Legal Services Authorities during
the last three years
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