Tele Law Initiative UPSC Notes: Objectives and Significance

The Tele Law initiative of the Government of India provides legal aid and advice to citizens residing in rural and remote areas through video conferencing technology. It was launched in 2017 under the Access to Justice Project of the Ministry of Law and Justice. Under the Tele Law initiative, rural citizens can access legal aid services through Common Service Centres (CSCs) in their villages. These CSCs are equipped with video conferencing facilities and are connected to a pool of volunteer lawyers and legal experts who provide legal advice and assistance to the citizens.

This topic is important from the perspective of the UPSC IAS examination, which falls under General Studies Paper 2 and particularly in the Indian Polity section. In this article, we shall discuss the Tele Law initiative, its background, overview, objectives, and significance.

About the Tele Law Initiative

Tele Law Initiative is a program by the government of India where people can seek legal advice from lawyers through video conferences available at the Common Service Centres on the ‘Tele Law’ app – a technology-enabled platform. This type of legal services would be provided at the Panchayat levels nationwide through the Common Service Centres. The concept of Tele Law is to facilitate the delivery of legal advice through a panel of lawyers which are stationed at the State Legal Services Authorities (SALSA) and CSC. This service’s main goal is to reach the needy, especially the marginalised and the disadvantaged.

Check out this article to learn more about the Kusum Scheme here.

Overview of Tele Law Initiative 

Through the Common Service Centres (CSC), the Non- Government organisations, hospitals, Law School clinics, district legal service authorities, and voluntary service providers can also be connected. This is done to view the improving access to justice for those who find it difficult to afford or get such services.

• The paralegal volunteer would be the first point of contact. They would be involved in explaining legal concepts to persons from rural areas and helping them take further action per the lawyer's recommendations.
• Women To promote women's entrepreneurship and empowerment, paralegal volunteers would also receive training to offer legal services through the Common Service Centres (CSC).
• A team of National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) solicitors will be stationed in each state capital to counsel candidates through video conference.
• This will aid in evaluating the quality of legal services offered to the underserved population as part of a strong assessment and monitoring mechanism that the government will establish.
• The first phase will be implemented across 1800 panchayats in Jammu and Kashmir, North Eastern states, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

Check out the article on the Ayushman Bharat Scheme for the UPSC IAS Exam.

Objectives of Tele Law Initiative

The objectives of the Tele Law initiative are given below:

• The main goal of this Tele Law Initiative is to provide a planned delivery of legal advice through a panel of lawyers stationed at the State Legal Services Authority (SALSA) and CSC.
• This project aims to connect citizens with lawyers through video conferencing facilities by the Paralegal Volunteers stationed at identified 1800 panchayats.

Check out the article on Centralized Public Grievance Redress Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) here!

Legal Services Authorities Act

• The Legal Services Authorities Act 1987 (LSA Act) was enacted to provide free legal aid to the poor and marginalized sections of society.
• The Act establishes a three-tier structure of legal services authorities, namely:
  • the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), 
  • the State Legal Services Authorities (SLSAs), and 
  • the District Legal Services Authorities (DLSAs).
• NALSA is the apex body that coordinates and monitors the implementation of the LSA Act.
• SLSAs are responsible for providing legal aid services at the state level.
• DLSAs are responsible for providing legal aid services at the district level.
• The LSA Act provides for a variety of legal aid services, including:
  • Legal advice
  • Representation in court
  • Mediation
  • Legal literacy
  • Legal aid to prisoners
• The LSA Act also provides for the establishment of legal aid clinics and legal aid cells in educational institutions and government offices.
• The LSA Act is an important piece of legislation. It has helped to ensure that the poor and marginalized sections of society have access to justice.

Types of Cases Covered Under Tele Law

The Tele-Law program covers the following types of cases:

• Family Disputes
• Land and Property Disputes
• Matrimonial Disputes
• Labor Disputes
• Criminal Cases (except heinous offenses)
• Public Welfare Schemes and Entitlements
• Revenue and Taxation Matters
• Motor Accident Claims
• Consumer Protection Issues
• Education and Employment Matters

Check out the test series for the UPSC IAS Exam here.

Common Service Centre (CSC)

Common Service Centres help in providing a platform which provides the feature of multiple transactions in one geographical location.

• The Common Service Centres have been set up with the aim of providing facilities for the delivery e–services by the government to the areas where the availability of Internet and computers is minimal.

Also read about Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana.

List of States with Number of CSCs

The list of the respective number of common service centres CSE is given below:

Also, Read about the National Investigation Agency here!

Significance of Tele Law Initiative

The significance of the Tele Law initiative is given below:

• Tele Law service enables anyone to get legal advice without wasting precious time and money.
• The Tele Law service law is free for those eligible for the free legal ad as mentioned under section 12 of the Legal Services Authority Act,1987. For all the others, a nominal fee is charged
• This Tele law initiative is in line with Sustainable Development Goal – 16, which aims to “promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels”.

Tele Law Initiative- Download PDF here!

After going through this article, we hope all your doubts regarding the Tele Law Initiative are addressed. Testbook provides comprehensive notes for different competitive examinations. It has always assured the quality of its products, like content pages, live tests, GK and current affairs, mocks, and so on. Ace your UPSC preparation with the Testbook App!