Question : Legal Assistance

(a) the process of appointing lawyers to provide legal assistance to the people by the Government;

(b) the number of such Government appointed lawyers in the country at present;

(c) whether the posts of such Government lawyers are vacant or there is a requirement of more lawyers and if so, the details thereof;

(d) whether with a view to provide justice for all, Government intends to set up free legal advice centres in every district or tehsil; and

(e) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons there for?

MINISTER OF LAW & JUSTICE, COMMUNICATIONS AND
ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
(SHRI RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD)

(a) The National Legal Services Authority (Free and Competent Legal Services) Regulations, 2010 provides for criteria and procedure for empanelment of panel lawyers for providing legal assistance to the eligible sections of the population. The selection of panel lawyers is made by the Executive Chairman or Chairman of the Legal Services Institution in consultation with the Attorney General [for the Supreme Court], Advocate General [for the High Court], District Attorney or Government Pleader [for District and Taluka level] and the Monitoring and Mentoring Committee of the Institution.

(b) A total number of 56,402 lawyers have been empaneled in legal services institutions at state & district level across the country for providing legal assistance to the people who are eligible to receive such assistance.

(c)The panel lawyers are empanelled by the Legal Services Institutions as per the work load. As of now, the required number of panel lawyers are available with the Legal Services Institutions.

(d)&(e)Legal Services Institutions have been set up under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 at all levels from Taluk Courts to Supreme Court for providing free legal services to the persons eligible under Section 12 of the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987.The Legal Services Institutions include National Legal Services Authority, Supreme Court Legal Services Committee in Supreme Court, 36 State Legal Services Authorities, 36 High Court Legal Services Committees in all High Courts, 665 District Legal Services Authorities and 2288 Taluk Legal Services Committees.
Around 23,000 Legal Services Clinics have also been set up in Jails, courts, Juvenile Justice Boards (JJBs), community centres, villages/rural areas and law colleges/universities. In these centres, free legal services are provided.

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