Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has said that pro bono legal services rendered by a lawyer will be a part of consideration while assessment for elevation to bench. “Credible and transparent free legal aid to the poor should also be a vital component in considering the elevation of a lawyer as a judge,” said Prasad.
The Union law minister on April 20, launched a slew of measures, including pro bono legal services, tele law service and nyaya mitra(justice facilitator), aimed at “digital inclusion” of the poor and making use of technology to deliver justice to the underprivileged.
Ravi Shankar Prasad feels that all these measures will enhance “access to justice” for the vulnerable communities and deliver efficient legal aid to the marginalised.
The pro bono legal service is a web-based platform through which interested lawyers can register themselves. The government will also avail of the services of retired judicial officers by appointing them as Nyaya Mitra to assist poor litigants who are suffering due to delay in disposal of their case in court.
According to reports, the pilot project will be launched across 1,800 panchayats in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, North-East and Jammu & Kashmir.
