Under ProBono Legal Services programme, 10629 advocates have directly registered across 24 State Bar Councils, 89 Law schools have joined the Pro Bono Club Scheme and 22 High Courts have constituted Pro Bono Panels in which 1354 advocates have enrolled, as on 30th November, 2023.
About Pro Bono Legal services programme
- Pro Bono Legal services programme was launched in April 2017.
- It is an initiative of the Department of Justice (GoI).
- The programme is aimed at fulfilling the Department’s critical mandate of enhancing “access to justice” for marginalised sections of the society and the State’s constitutional obligation of providing “free legal aid” for all.
- Under Section 12 of the Legal Services Authority Act 1987, applicants who are marginalized or disadvantaged including ST, SC, victims of trafficking or begging, women or children, PWDs, and other eligible categories, are entitled to get free legal aid & advice through Department of Justice’s Nyaya Bandhu program.
- Nyaya Bandhu’s (Pro Bono Legal Services) primary initiative is to establish a framework for dispensation of pro bono legal services across the country.
- Under Nyaya Bandhu, practising advocates, interested to volunteer their time and services, are connected, via mobile technology, with eligible marginalised beneficiaries.
