Ministry of Law and Justice
Regional Workshop on Tele-Law Programme under DISHA Scheme organised in Chennai, Tamil Nadu
12,560 Common Service Centres across 38 Districts and 16 Aspirational Blocks in Tamil Nadu Delivering Pre-Litigation Legal Services
Toll-free helpline 14454 for probono legal services
Posted On: 14 MAR 2026 4:30PM by PIB Chennai
A Regional Workshop on Tele-Law Programme Activities under the Designing Innovative Solutions for Holistic Access to Justice (DISHA) Scheme of the Department of Justice, Ministry of Law and Justice, Government of India, was held today at Kalaivanar Arangam, Chennai. The workshop aimed to strengthen technology-enabled justice delivery and deepen stakeholder engagement in ensuring last-mile access to justice.
The event was graced by Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, Governor of Tamil Nadu; Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari, Chief Justice of the Madras High Court; and Arjun Ram Meghwal, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Law and Justice, along with senior officials, members of the judiciary, advocates, representatives of Common Service Centres (CSCs), law schools, students and civil society representatives.
Delivering the keynote address, Governor Shri Arlekar highlighted the importance of integrating technology, legal awareness and community participation to ensure effective justice delivery. He emphasised that citizens must understand and respect the law, and that justice must reach even those in remote villages. Strengthening public faith in the judiciary, he noted, is essential for achieving the vision of a Viksit Bharat.
Chief Justice Dharmadhikari J stated that access to justice is a fundamental constitutional obligation rooted in Articles 14, 21 and 39A. He appreciated initiatives such as Tele-Law, Nyaya Bandhu and legal awareness programmes, observing that technology-enabled platforms can significantly strengthen citizen engagement with legal institutions. He also described the DISHA initiative as a legal first-aid kit that moves the country from legal aid towards legal empowerment.
Addressing the gathering, Union Minister Shri Meghwal underscored the importance of leveraging technology to make justice more accessible, affordable and citizen-centric. He highlighted that initiatives such as Tele-Law, Nyaya Bandhu and legal literacy programmes are strengthening the justice delivery ecosystem and expanding legal services at the grassroots level.
Earlier, the Secretary, Department of Justice, briefly outlined the objectives of the DISHA framework and emphasised that awareness is the first step towards empowerment and inclusive justice delivery.
A presentation on the progress of the Tele-Law programme in Tamil Nadu highlighted that services are being delivered through more than 12,560 Common Service Centres across all 38 districts and 16 aspirational blocks, along with the toll-free helpline 14454 and the Tele-Law mobile application.
During the programme, videos on the Nyaya Oli Project implemented through Dr. Ambedkar Government Law College, Puducherry, and the Nyaya Bandhu (Pro Bono Legal Services) Programme were screened. As of February 2026, more than 10,000 advocates have registered under Nyaya Bandhu, with Pro Bono Clubs established in 109 law colleges across the country.
Ten e-books documenting customary laws of tribal communities from the North-Eastern region were also launched in collaboration with the Law Research Institute of the Gauhati High Court.
The workshop concluded with a vote of thanks by the Joint Secretary (Access to Justice), Department of Justice.
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