Rijiju launches Tele-law app, says govt has decided to expand service to 75,000 gram panchayats this year

NEW DELHI: Law minister Kiren Rijiju on Saturday launched a mobile app for the department's Tele-law service — online consultation with empanelled lawyers — saying the government has decided to expand it to 75,000 gram panchayats covering all states and Union territories this year.
The Tele-law initiative of the Department of Justice was launched in 2017 with the goal of strengthening the pre-litigation mechanism and providing free legal aid to the poor and marginalised citizens. It has already helped more than 12 lakh beneficiaries, including Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes and women.
Rijiju had earlier mentioned that the government is working towards taking the justice-delivery system to the doorstep of the people.
Rijiju, who felicitated frontline Tele-law workers assembled here from across the country, said downloading the ‘Citizens Tele-Law Mobile App’ would optimise the citizen-centric justice delivery mechanism.
The Tele-law app is a first of its kind initiative wherein anyone can download the application and avail services of a lawyer, according to the law ministry. There will be options of availing the services in different languages that can help in reaching out to the remote corners of the country through a network of 14 lakh common service centres and para-legal volunteers.
The services are currently available in 51,434 common service centres across 50,000 gram panchayats in 633 districts, the law ministry said.
Through the Tele-law, the government also provides videoconferencing facility to connect the beneficiary with the panel lawyer.