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NEW DELHI: Reaffirming his commitment to ensuring that every citizen of Jammu & Kashmir has equal access to justice, J&K BJP President and Rajya Sabha MP Sat Sharma raised the issue of the effectiveness of free legal aid services in the Union Territory through an Unstarred Question in the Rajya Sabha. He sought details on the Government's assessment of the DISHA Scheme and the reforms being undertaken to strengthen legal aid and reduce delays in justice delivery for economically weaker sections.
In its written reply, the Union Ministry of Law and Justice led by Union MoS Arjun Ram Meghwal, informed Parliament that an independent third-party evaluation by the Quality Council of India found the DISHA Scheme to be effective, leading to its extension as DISHA 2.0 for the period 2026-31, including in Jammu & Kashmir. The upgraded programme integrates Tele-Law, Nyaya Bandhu, Legal Literacy and Awareness initiatives, and the technology-driven VIDHI-Sanjeevani platform to make legal services simpler, affordable, faster and more accessible.
The reply highlighted the growing reach of legal services in Jammu & Kashmir. As of June 30, 2026, over 7.63 lakh pre-litigation legal consultations have been provided through the Tele-Law programme using Common Service Centres at the panchayat level. Further strengthening grassroots access, eight Nyaya Sahayaks are working across ten Aspirational Blocks, having facilitated 1,222 legal assistance calls. Additionally, 197 advocates from the Bar Council of Jammu & Kashmir have enrolled under the Nyaya Bandhu Pro Bono Legal Services Programme to provide free legal assistance to eligible beneficiaries. Large-scale legal literacy and awareness campaigns are also being conducted.
The Ministry also informed that DISHA 2.0 will introduce VIDHI-Sanjeevani, an integrated digital dashboard with AI-enabled support through the Nyaya Setu Chatbot to improve monitoring, service delivery and citizen outreach, with a target of reaching 50 lakh beneficiaries over the next five years.
Sat Sharma said that access to justice should never depend on a person's financial condition or place of residence. He said the figures presented in Parliament reflect a focused effort to take legal assistance to villages, remote areas and disadvantaged sections through technology and grassroots institutions. He added that raising such issues in Parliament is aimed at ensuring that the people of Jammu & Kashmir continue to benefit from stronger, more accessible and citizen-centric legal services while making the justice delivery system more efficient and accountable.
Sat Sharma also appreciated Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government for its commitment to making justice accessible to every citizen, irrespective of economic background or geographical location. He said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, the Centre has consistently worked to ensure that no individual is deprived of legal assistance due to financial constraints, with technology-driven initiatives, grassroots outreach, and citizen-centric reforms bringing the justice delivery system closer to the common people.
