New Delhi, July 31 (IANS) As many as 14,888 women have registered till June 30 on the Nyaya Bandhu App for legal assistance related to civil and criminal laws, including women and child safety, family and matrimonial disputes, domestic violence and workplace harassment, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Thursday.

Minister of State for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal, in a written reply, said Nyaya Bandhu (Pro Bono Legal Service) programme registers interested Pro Bono Advocates and connects them with the beneficiaries through the Nyaya Bandhu Application (available iOS/Android/UMANG Platform).

There are 9,261 advocates who have volunteered and registered on Nyaya Bandhu platform for offering assistance to those entitled for free legal aid under Section 12 of the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, said Meghwal.

The Nyaya Bandhu is one of the programmes under the scheme of ‘Designing Innovative Solutions for Holistic Access to Justice’ (DISHA) which is being implemented by the Department of Justice, he said.

A panel of Pro Bono Advocates has also been constituted in 23 High Courts to strengthen institutional mechanism for delivering pro bono legal services to beneficiaries.

Further, to instil the spirit of pro bono work among law students and nurture a long-term commitment to legal service, Pro Bono Clubs (PBCs) have been constituted across 109 law colleges in the country, said Meghwal.

He said to enhance the reach and effectiveness of the Nyaya Bandhu programme in remote areas, PBCs in law schools are engaged in providing community care legal assistance and legal awareness to beneficiaries in villages, for a sustained pro bono participation nationwide.

In order to broad-base the outreach of pro bono legal services, a dedicated portal on Nyaya Bandhu (https://www.probono-doj.in/) is available for citizens in 22 scheduled languages of the country.

Meghwal said the Nyaya Bandhu Application has been integrated with Tele-Law (pre-litigation advice) services under the DISHA scheme.

Through the Tele-Law App, beneficiaries may consult with a panel lawyer on seeking further legal advice and assistance from Nyaya Bandhu Pro Bono advocate.

With support from the Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs) and Panel Lawyers engaged in pre-litigation advice under Tele-Law, awareness about Nyaya Bandhu is being spread among the citizens in their mother tongue at the Common Service Centres and via Helpline Toll-free number 14454.

–IANS

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