NALSA launches web application for free legal services to prisoners

National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) on 29 June 2017 launched a web application for free legal services to prisoners and the Legal Services Management System. NALSA is entrusted with the responsibility to provide legal aid inter-alia to all persons in custody.

The web application was launched by Justice Dipak Misra, Judge at Supreme Court of India and Executive Chairman of NALSA.

Highlights of the web application

• Through this web application, the State Legal Services Authorities and District Legal Services Authorities can feed the data for each individual prison inmate in the jails within their jurisdiction, with regard to their being represented through a counsel in the court.

• The software will be able to generate reports showing total number of inmates, number of inmates unrepresented, number of inmates represented by legal services lawyers and number of inmates represented by private lawyers.

• All the above information can be generated State wise, District wise and also in respect of each jail.

• The reports can also be generated by the period of imprisonment, which will in turn generate information with regard to prisoners eligible for bail under Section 436-A Cr.P.C.

• It will be universally useful for all the relevant authorities to monitor the grant of legal aid provided to the prisoners in order to ensure that no prisoner goes unrepresented in the court.

• It will make the legal services system more transparent.