DEPARTMENT OF LEGAL AFFAIRS

 

This Department is nodally concerned with the administration of the following Acts:

 

Ø       The Notaries Act,1952;

Ø       The Advocates Act,1961;

Ø       The Legal Services Authority Act,1987; and

Ø       The Advocates’ Welfare Fund Act, 2001.

 

Computerisation

The Computerisation of the department has been given top priority. Most of the functions have been computerised.

 

Legal Aid and Lok Adalats

National Legal Services Authority [NALSA] is concerned with promotion administration of legal aid in the country. Steps have been taken to render legal aid to the needy and the poor by way of holding Lok Adalats, organising Conferences etc. The Lok Adalat movement in the country has been strengthened. Up to December 31, 2005, more than 4,98,000 Lok Adalats have been held in the different parts of the country wherein 1,86,00,000 cases have been settled. In about 14.25 lakh cases of Motor Vehicles Accident Claims, compensation to the tune of Rs. 5,584.33 crore has been awarded.

 

About 83.73 lakh persons have benefited through legal aid and advice programmes throughout the country in which about 12, 84,786 persons belonging to the Scheduled Castes and 3, 99,704 persons of Scheduled Tribe communities were beneficiaries. More than 8.69 lakh persons were women and 1,35,310 persons in custody were also benefited.

 

In order to create awareness among the masses, a number of awareness campaigns were launched as shown hereunder:

 

Ø                               Legal Aid week for mentally challenged persons [October 10-16, 2004] launched by Chief Justice of India.

Ø                               Legal services week [November 3-9, 2004].

Ø                   Children’s’ day [November 14, 2004] in the presence of Chief Justice of India, Union Law Minister Shri H.R. Bhardwaj, and eminent jurists.

Ø                               Legal aid Campaign in Tsunami affected areas:

i.                                                                        Nyaya Mangalam [direct beneficiary mobile helpline network]

ii.                                                                        Project Coral [door to door campaign by village level campaigners]

Ø                               National Legal Literacy Mission [2005-2010] launched on March 6, 2005 by the Prime Minister.

Ø                               National Legal Aid Week for Women [March 8-15, 2005]

Ø                               Jal Adhikar Abhiyan on April 4, 2005 launched by Sh. Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, Vice- President of India.

Ø                               National Dialogue on Protection of Legal Rights of Workers. [01.05.2005] inaugurated by Chief Justice of India, Mr. Justice Y.K. Sabbharwal in the presence of Union Law Minister Shri H.R. Bhardwaj and Labour Commissioners and Secretaries of several states of India.

Ø                               Regional Initiative of Legal literacy to combat lynching and witch-hunting of tribal women and protection of legal rights of tribal communities in the states of Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal, Orissa and Chhattisgarh launched by Chief Justice of India, Mr. Justice Y.K. Sabbharwal in the presence of eminent jurists.

Ø                               Regional Summit of District Judges/ Chairpersons of District level Legal Services Authorities on the subject of judicial process and integrated approach to Legal Aid for greater access to social justice, equality and gender empowerment organized on August 2, 2005 at Ranchi in the august presence of   Chief Justice of India, Mr. Justice Y.K. Sabbharwal and other  eminent jurists.

Ø                               Mobile legal aid and legal literacy programme on boat/launch for villagers of Sunderban of Distt. South 24 Paraganas and North 24 Paraganas was launched by  Chief Justice of India, Mr. Justice Y.K. Sabbharwal in the presence of eminent jurists.

Ø                               Regional initiative in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamilnadu and Maharashtra at Tirupati on September 10, 2005, launched by Chief Justice of India, Mr. Justice Y.K. Sabbharwal in the presence of eminent jurists.

Ø                               Protection of Rights of people suffering from mental disabilities on the occasion of world mental health day on October 10, 2005, for a week in major hospitals of Delhi.

Ø                               Observation of National Legal Literacy Day on Novermber 9, .2005, at Vigyan Bhawan where His Excellency the President of India was the Chief Guest, in the presence Union Law Minister Shri H.R. Bhardwaj and eminent jurists.

Ø                               Womens’ Legal Aid Summit on November 25, 2005, at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. Chief Justice of India, Mr. Justice Y.K. Sabbharwal was the Chief Guest in the presence Union Law Minister, Ms. Girija Vyas, Chairperson, National Commission for Women and eminent jurists.

Ø                               Observation of International day of disabled persons on December 3, 2005.

Ø                               Launch of SAPLING {Students Advocacy Programme linking Institutes of Learning} and Project Combat on November 29, 2006, at Bangalore, Karnataka in the presence of eminent jurists of the state.

Ø                               Decision Makers’ Forum on Sex Tourism and Protection of Child rights at Goa on February 5, 2006.

Ø                               Visit of ESI hospitals at Delhi by a Team of NALSA from March 6,2006 to March 16, 2006.

Ø                               State dialogue on HIV / AIDS vulnerability, trauma management & protection of legal rights of labouring citizens on April 9, 2006, at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.

Ø                               Role of Judiciary in prevention of trafficking and HIV/ AIDS under the project ‘Nyaya Sankalp’ on  April 16-17, 2006, at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.

Ø                               Workers colloquium on social justice and equality on international labour day on  May 1, 2006,  at New Delhi. The first session was graced by the Chief Minister of Delhi; the second was held in the presence of the Chief Justice of India, Mr. Justice Y.K. Sabbharwal and Union Law Minister Shri H.R. Bhardwaj and eminent jurists.

 

International Centre for Alternative Dispute Resolution                     

The International Centre for Alternative Dispute Resolution [ICADR] is handling Arbitration cases and conducting conciliation and mediation through its rich panel of eminent Lawyers and Jurists etc. The initial grant of Rs.11.06 crore (Approx.) for establishment of the new building for ICADR was given by Dr. Man Mohan Singh when he was the Finance Minister of India. The aforesaid grant has gone a long way in bringing up a state of the art building, well equipped to provide facilities of international standards for conducting arbitration, mediation and conciliation.

 

Law Commission of India

The Law Commission has presented seven Reports on various topics for consideration by the Government, which have been laid in Parliament.

 

The Right to Information Act

The Right to Information Act, 2005 has been implemented in the Department. Information Officers and Appellate officers have also been appointed. The status of the applications received and disposed off is as under:

 

[i]         No. of applications received……………………...81

[ii]         No. of references replied…………………………76

[iii]        Appeals preferred with the Appellate Officer…...5

 

National Tax Tribunal

The National Tax tribunal Act, 2005 has been brought into force w.e.f. December 28, 2005. The steps were taken to establish different benches of the NTT. The act has been challenged before different High Courts and stayed. It is still sub-judice.

 

Agreements with foreign Countries

Ø                               This Department has signed an agreement with the state of Kuwait on juridical and judicial co- operation -Civil and Commercial matters, in August 2005.

Ø                               A similar Treaty has been negotiated and finalized with Bulgaria in January 2006.

Ø                               The Department is now processing to negotiate a Treaty on the subject with Ukraine.

 

Judicial reforms

             A conference of Law Ministers and Law Secretaries was organised in June 2005, at Simla on the theme of Judicial reforms. It was quite successful.

 

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