DIGITIZATION OF LEGAL AID SERVICES AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE TO THE DETAINEES IN INDIA

Abstract

This paper presents a micro-study of the scheme of legal aid services and the impact of its digitization on the administration of criminal justice in India based on the case study of the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) of Surguja at Ambikapur in Chhattisgarh State (India). This DLSA has been found to suffer from proper empanelment, allotment and monitoring of criminal defense counsels to the detainees. The empanelled defense counsels have been reluctant to pursue the case of detainees at the bail and trial stages. Resultantly, fair criminal trial according to the due process of law has been compromised, the fundamental guarantee to free defense counsel has been threatened and public trust in the criminal justice system has been deteriorated. Heeding the reports and judicial directions, the Union Ministry of Law and Justice has introduced the digitization of legal aid services of all authorities and committees established under the NALSA Act, 1987. The website portals and mobile applications have been brought upon to facilitate the beneficiaries to apply for free legal aid and know about actions taken therein. Nonetheless, these endeavours have been found inadequate in the mission of administration of criminal justice particularly for the detainees.

Keywords

• digitization of legal aid services
• empanelment
• allotment and monitoring of criminal defense counsels
• fair criminal trial
• due process of law
• detainees