SDG 16: Peace, Justice & Strong Institutions | SDG 5: Gender Equality
Institutions: Department of Justice | National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) | Ministry of Law & Justice
On the eve of National Legal Services Day (9 November)—marking the enforcement of the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987—the Government highlighted the expansion of India’s free legal-aid and alternate-dispute-resolution ecosystem, which has reached 44.22 lakh beneficiaries between 2022 and 2025 and settled 23.58 crore cases through Lok Adalats.
Expanding Access and Legal Awareness
Under DISHA (Designing Innovative Solutions for Holistic Access to Justice), over 2.10 crore people received pre-litigation advice, pro-bono assistance and legal representation since 2021.
The Tele-Law platform recorded 1.13 crore cases, with women constituting nearly 40 % of users and Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe citizens forming 45 %.
13.83 lakh legal-awareness programmes reached 14.96 crore citizens nationwide between 2022-25, complemented by TV broadcasts, regional language materials, and 21 online webinars.
Strengthening Legal Aid Delivery
The Legal Aid Defence Counsel System (LADCS) now covers 668 districts, disposing of 7.86 lakh criminal cases since 2023 with a financial outlay of ₹ 998 crore.
Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs) for offences against women and children number 725 (including 392 POCSO courts), having resolved 3.34 lakh cases to date.
Gram Nyayalayas (488) and Nari Adalats extend quick, local justice in rural areas—linking village-level mediation to formal legal frameworks.
211 exclusive special courts address cases under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Training & Capacity Building
NALSA and the National Judicial Academy conduct structured programmes for judges, panel lawyers and para-legal volunteers — 2,315 sessions were held from 2023-24 to May 2024.
Four training modules have been standardised for consistent delivery of legal-aid services.
Together, these initiatives demonstrate India’s commitment to ensuring that justice is not only accessible but also timely, affordable and inclusive.
India’s expanding legal-aid and fast-track-court network represents a major step toward universal access to justice. The integration of digital platforms (Tele-Law, Nyaya Bandhu, DISHA) and grassroots mechanisms (Gram Nyayalayas, Nari Adalats) reflects a multi-tiered model of technology + community justice. For policymakers, the next challenge lies in institutional coordination and sustained funding to strengthen the continuum from legal literacy to legal remedy.
What is National Legal Services Day?→ Observed annually on 9 November to commemorate the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, which established a nationwide system for providing free and competent legal aid to economically and socially disadvantaged citizens.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders: How can India design sustainable financing models for legal-aid and fast-track systems to maintain quality, coverage, and accountability across states?
Follow the full release here: National Legal Services Day