Govt starts free tele-law service for rural poor

THE LEGAL ADVICE WILL BE PROVIDED TO POOR LITIGANTS THROUGH VIDEO CONFERENCING IN UP, BIHAR CENTRES

The law ministry launched on Sunday ‘Tele-law’ services at nearly 500 village centres in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, which will provide free legal assistance through video conferencing to rural poor.

The advice will be provided by few lawyers selected by the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) to poor litigants and respondents through a video chat in 500 common service centres (CSCs) across Bihar and UP as part of a pilot project, according to the ministry officials.

The lawyers will be based in the state capitals allowing for the choice of better quality legal aid than is available at the district level, especially in remote areas.

The project aims to double the number of centres in the next phase — ultimately leading to a national rollout at 1,800 panchayats across 10 states.

The new service is partnered by the law and ministry of electronics and information technology ministries. “Tele-Law will fulfill our commitment to ensure access to justice and empowerment of the poor. The Common Services Centers and Para Legal Volunteers (PLV) will offer easy legal advice to litigants in rural India making them digitally and financially inclusive,” Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, who heads both ministries, said at the launch. The scheme aims at recruiting a PLV, all women, at each of the centres.

The pilot will be tested first before a national rollout, a ministry official said. He did not specify a time frame.

The platform will connect law school clinics, district legal service authorities, voluntary service providers and non-government organisations working on legal aid and empowerment of economically backward communities.

The scheme falls under the UN aided Access to Justice Project for Marginalized Persons under the ministry’s justice department.