Key Achievements (2025)

  • Judicial Capacity
  • 157 new High Court judges appointed (Allahabad 40, Bombay 21, MP 15, Rajasthan 15).
  • 47 Additional Judges made permanent; 13 tenures extended.
  • 12 new Chief Justices; 44 inter‑High Court transfers.
  • Legal Access – Tele‑Law
  • Coverage of 2.5 lakh Gram Panchayats across 776 districts.
  • Pre‑litigation advice to 1.12 crore beneficiaries.
  • District‑level workshops in 638 districts, training 37,000 participants.
  • "Hamara Samvidhan Hamara Samman" campaign reached 70.70 lakh people.
  • Legal Aid Schemes (NALSA)
  • Veer Parivar Sahayata Yojana – for defence personnel in Srinagar.
  • NALSA Scheme for Victims of Human‑Wildlife Conflict.
  • SPRUHA Scheme – support for dependents of prisoners and crime victims.
  • Community Mediation Training Module launched on the 30‑year anniversary of NALSA.
  • Digital Transformation – e‑Courts
  • 3.91 crore virtual hearings – India emerges as a global leader.
  • 1,987 eSewa Kendras and e‑Courts mobile app with 3.38 crore downloads.
  • e‑Courts Phase‑III: 92 lakh e‑filings, Rs 1,215 crore collected as online court fees.
  • Fast‑Track Special Courts (FTSCs)
  • 774 FTSCs operational (including 398 POCSO courts) across 29 States/UTs.
  • Disposed 3.61 lakh cases; disposal rate 7.41 cases/month/court (double regular courts).
  • Infrastructure & Monitoring
  • Court halls increased to 22,663; residential units to 20,033 (from 2014 baselines of 15,818 and 10,211).
  • Real‑time monitoring via Nyaya Vikas Portal 2.0; 94.66% projects geotagged.
  • Participation in World Bank’s B‑READY framework assessments.

National Legal Services Authority (NALSA)

  • Statutory Basis: Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987; celebrates 30 years in 2025.
  • Constitutional Mandate: Implements Article 39A (equal justice), Article 14 (equality before law) and Article 22(1) (right to be informed of grounds of arrest).
  • Structure:
  • Apex body → State Legal Services Authorities (Chief Justice of the High Court as Patron‑in‑Chief).
  • District Legal Services Authorities (District Judge as Chair).
  • Taluk/Sub‑Divisional Committees, High Court and Supreme Court Legal Services Committees.
  • Eligible Beneficiaries: Women & children, SC/ST, EWS, industrial workers, disabled persons, etc.

Significance for India & Governance

  • Access to Justice: Tele‑Law and FTSCs bridge geographic and socio‑economic gaps, aligning with the constitutional promise of free legal aid.
  • Judicial Efficiency: Digital hearings and e‑filings reduce pendency, improve transparency, and support the ‘Digital India’ agenda.
  • Policy Implications: The multi‑pronged approach demonstrates how policy, technology and capacity‑building can be synchronised to reform a complex system like the judiciary.
  • International Standing: Participation in World Bank assessments and leadership in virtual hearings enhance India’s reputation in global dispute‑resolution mechanisms.

Related Constitutional / Legal Provisions

  • Article 39A – State to provide free legal aid.
  • Article 14 – Equality before law.
  • Article 22(1) – Right to be informed of grounds of arrest.
  • Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 – Framework for NALSA and legal aid delivery.
  • National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) Act, 2014 – Though struck down, remains relevant to discussions on judicial appointments.

Potential UPSC Questions

  • Assess the impact of e‑Courts Phase‑III on case pendency.
  • Analyse how Tele‑Law contributes to the constitutional goal of ‘access to justice for all’.
  • Discuss the role of NALSA in operationalising Article 39A.
  • Evaluate the effectiveness of Fast‑Track Special Courts in handling POCSO cases.