Executive Summary:
This document summarizes a response to a parliamentary question regarding the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) in Tamil Nadu. It details NALSA's schemes, beneficiaries of free legal aid, assessments of scheme effectiveness, Lok Adalats organized, and steps to increase legal awareness among marginalized communities. The information provided covers the last three years and includes data up to June 30, 2025, for certain programs.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **NALSA Overview:**
* NALSA was established under the Legal Services Authorities (LSA) Act, 1987.
* It provides free legal services to weaker sections as defined in Section 12 of the LSA Act, 1987.
* NALSA organizes Lok Adalats for dispute resolution and implements preventive and strategic legal service programs.
* **Beneficiary Data:**
* Annexure A provides state/UT-wise beneficiary details for the last three years.
* NALSA does not maintain district-wise beneficiary information.
* **Legal Aid Defense Counsel System (LADCS) Scheme:**
* A Central Sector Scheme implemented through NALSA since 2023-24.
* Provides legal aid in criminal cases to those eligible under Section 12 of the LSA Act, 1987.
* As of June 30, 2025, LADC offices are functional in 662 districts nationwide.
* LADCs have been assigned 8,69,243 criminal cases, with 5,85,255 cases disposed of since inception.
* **Monitoring and Evaluation:**
* NALSA's 2010 Regulations provide a framework for monitoring legal aid services through Monitoring and Mentoring Committees (MMCs) at various levels.
* MMCs track case progress, guide lawyers, and ensure quality control.
* SLSAs evaluate LADCS human resources every six months.
* SLSAs provide monthly casework reports to NALSA.
* **Lok Adalat Statistics (Tamil Nadu):**
* State Lok Adalats: 3196 held, settling 58056 cases over three years.
* Permanent Lok Adalats (Public Utility Services): 3307 sittings, settling 1364 cases over three years.
* National Lok Adalats: Settled 1141818 cases over three years.
* **Legal Awareness Programs:**
* Legal Services Authorities conduct awareness programs on free legal aid, laws, and schemes for various groups.
* Booklets and pamphlets on laws are distributed.
* Tamil Nadu: 21,506 legal awareness programs, reaching 30,50,108 people, over three years.
* Nationwide: 13,83,349 programs, reaching 14,96,72,607 people, over three years.
Impact Analysis:
* **Beneficiaries (Weaker Sections of Society):**
* *Impact:* Access to free and competent legal services and increased legal awareness.
* *Action Required:* Utilize available legal aid services and participate in legal awareness programs.
* **Legal Services Authorities (State, District, Taluka):**
* *Impact:* Responsible for implementing NALSA's schemes and programs.
* *Action Required:* Implement legal service programs, organize Lok Adalats, conduct legal awareness camps, and maintain accurate records.
* **Monitoring and Mentoring Committees (MMCs):**
* *Impact:* Responsible for monitoring and evaluating legal aid services.
* *Action Required:* Oversee legal aid delivery, track case progress, guide lawyers, and ensure quality control through regular reporting and performance evaluations.
* **Legal Aid Defense Counsels (LADCs):**
* *Impact:* Provide legal aid in criminal cases.
* *Action Required:* Handle assigned criminal cases, maintain records, and participate in performance evaluations.
* **State Legal Services Authorities (SLSAs):**
* *Impact:* Oversight and reporting responsibilities for LADCS and legal aid programs.
* *Action Required:* Evaluate LADCS human resources, provide monthly casework reports to NALSA, and ensure data-driven evaluation at the national level.
Key Entities Referenced
National Legal Services Authority: A statutory body constituted under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 (LSA Act, 1987) to provide free and competent legal services to weaker sections of society.
Tamil Nadu: A state in India, specifically mentioned as the focus of the Lok Sabha question regarding the implementation and effectiveness of legal service schemes.
Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987: The act under which the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) was constituted, providing the legal framework for free legal aid and Lok Adalats.
Lok Adalats: Forums organized for amicable settlement of disputes, with details provided on the number organized and cases disposed of in Tamil Nadu.
Legal Aid Defense Counsel System LADCS Scheme: A Central Sector Scheme implemented through NALSA since 2023-24, aiming to provide legal aid in criminal cases to eligible beneficiaries.
SHRI ARJUN RAM MEGHWAL: Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Law and Justice; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs.
Kallakurichi Lok Sabha Constituency: A specific Lok Sabha constituency in Tamil Nadu, highlighted in the question regarding beneficiaries of legal aid.
National Legal Services Authority Free and Competent Legal Services Regulations, 2010: Regulations that provide a framework for monitoring and evaluating legal aid services through Monitoring and Mentoring Committees (MMCs).
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO - 3375
TO BE ANSWERED ON FRIDAY, THE 08TH AUGUST, 2025
NATIONAL LEGAL SERVICES AUTHORITY IN TAMIL NADU
3375. SHRI MALAIYARASAN D:
Will the Minister of LAW AND JUSTICE be pleased to state:
(a) the details of the various schemes implemented by the National Legal Services
Authority (NALSA) across the country, with specific emphasis on Tamil Nadu;
(b) the number of beneficiaries provided free legal aid and assistance under these schemes
in Tamil Nadu during the last three years, district-wise, especially in Kallakurichi Lok
Sabha Constituency;
(c) whether the Government has conducted any assessment of the effectiveness and
outreach of these schemes in rural and urban areas of Tamil Nadu;
(d) the number of Lok Adalats organized in Tamil Nadu in the last three years and the
number of cases disposed through them; and
(e) the steps taken to increase legal awareness and access to justice among marginalized
communities, women and children in Tamil Nadu?
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 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
(1)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.
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.
(c): 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.
The 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. The 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.
(2)(d): The details of Lok Adalats organized in Tamil Nadu in the last three years and the
number of cases/issues settled through them are as under:
(i) State Lok Adalat
Year State Lok Adalats held Cases settled
2022-23 1295 16369
2023-24 1336 34744
2024-25 565 6943
Total 3196 58056
(ii) Permanent Lok Adalat (Public Utility Services)
Y ear Permanent Lok Adalats functioning Sittings held Cases settled
2022-23 32 1121 528
2023-24 32 1119 427
2024-25 32 1067 409
Total 3307 1364
(iii) National Lok Adalat
Year Total Cases settled
2022 447536
2023 355762
2024 338520
Total 1141818
(e): The legal awareness programmes are held across the country by Legal Service
Authorities in regard to entitlement to free legal aid and 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 Tamil Nadu) during the last three years are as under:
Tamil Nadu Across the country (including Tamil Nadu)
Year Legal Awareness Persons Legal Awareness Persons
programs attended programs attended
2022-23 10,814 13,27,379 4,90,055 6,75,17,665
2023-24 4,408 7,12,534 4,30,306 4,49,22,092
2024-25 6,284 10,10,195 4,62,988 3,72,32,850
Total 21,506 30,50,108 13,83,349 14,96,72,607
*****
(3)Annexure-A
Statement referred to in reply to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 3375 for answer
on 08.08.2025 regarding ‘National Legal Services Authority in Tamil Nadu’
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