Sambhav-2025

Approach Briefly define NALSA and its constitutional mandate for ensuring access to justice. Discuss NALSA’s role, key initiatives, impact, challenges, and reforms using relevant examples and data. Conclude suitably.

Introduction

The National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), established under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, ensures free legal aid for marginalized and disadvantaged groups. Article 39A of the Constitution mandates the state to provide equal justice, ensuring that economic and social barriers do not prevent access to the judicial system.

Body

Ensuring Access To Justice:

• Free Legal Aid and Representation:
  • NALSA provides free legal services to Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), women, children, persons with disabilities, and economically weaker sections.
  • Services include legal advice, court representation, mediation, and assistance with documentation, ensuring justice is not denied due to poverty.
  • Over 50.33 lakh beneficiaries have received advice and legal aid services through Common Service Centres (CSCs)
• Lok Adalats – Speedy and Cost-Effective Justice:
  • Lok Adalats reduce case pendency and promote Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), ensuring quick and affordable justice.
  • Three types: National Lok Adalats, State Lok Adalats, and Permanent Lok Adalats, handling pre-litigation and pending cases.
  • Data:
    • National Lok Adalat: 10.45 crore cases settled in 2024, 8.53 crore in 2023, and 4.19 crore in 2022.
    • State Lok Adalat: 12.07 lakh cases (2023-24), 10.88 lakh (2024-25, till Nov.).
    • Permanent Lok Adalat: 2.32 lakh cases settled in 2023-24.
• Legal Awareness and Outreach Programs:
  • Legal literacy campaigns educate vulnerable groups about their rights, remedies, and legal aid availability.
  • Pan-India Legal Awareness Campaign (2021) reached 6.7 lakh villages and 4,100 municipal towns, benefiting 75 lakh individuals.
  • Initiatives like Mobile Legal Aid Clinics and Para Legal Volunteers (PLVs) increase awareness at the grassroots level.
• Targeted Schemes for Vulnerable Groups:
  • Legal Aid Defense Counsel System (LADCS): Free legal aid for undertrial prisoners and poor litigants.
  • NALSA Scheme for Victims of Trafficking (2015): Ensures rehabilitation, legal assistance, and compensation.

Challenges and Areas for Improvement:

• Limited Awareness: Many eligible individuals remain unaware of their right to free legal aid.
• Resource Constraints: Insufficient funding and legal manpower limit the reach of NALSA’s services.
• Efficiency Issue: The challenge lies in enhancing the efficiency and capacity of NALSA, State Legal Services Authorities (SLSAs), and District Legal Services Authorities (DLSAs) to ensure effective implementation and wider access to justice.

Conclusion

NALSA has significantly expanded access to justice through free legal aid, Lok Adalats, and specialized schemes. However, greater investment in digital legal services, mass awareness campaigns, and infrastructure development is required. A robust legal aid system is key to upholding constitutional rights, ensuring social justice, and reducing the judicial backlog in India.