Government Strengthens Accessible Legal Services and Inclusive Digital Justice for Persons with Disabilities

The Ministry of Law and Justice reports that legal aid under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 extends to persons with disabilities as defined in the 1955 Disabilities Act. The NALSA (Legal Services to Persons with Mental Illness and Persons with Intellectual Disabilities) Scheme, 2024 has set up ‘Manonyay’ Legal Services Units in all States/UTs except Lakshadweep, delivering services at mental health establishments, police stations, courts, transport hubs, prisons and through home visits. Legal aid beneficiaries recorded were 11,591 (2023‑24), 8,313 (2024‑25) and 15,280 (2025‑26). A centrally‑sponsored court‑infrastructure scheme mandates disabled‑friendly designs, while the e‑Courts Mission Mode Project Phase III allocates Rs 27.54 crore for accessible ICT facilities and Rs 6.35 crore for the S3WaaS platform to aid visually impaired users.