Supreme Court judge Justice Surya Kant on Saturday launched the Veer Parivaar Sahayata Yojana 2025, a legal aid service started for the defence personnel of the country by the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), in collaboration with the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh and the Jammu & Kashmir Legal Services Authority.
The initiative was launched during NALSA’s North Zone Regional Conference on ‘Reaffirming the Constitutional Vision of Justice for Defence Personnel and Tribals’ at Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC), Srinagar.
Speaking on the occasion, Justice Kant, also the Executive Chairman of NALSA, said Article 39A of the Constitution mandated equal access to justice for all. If the country failed to extend this support to its jawans and their families, it would fail in its constitutional duty.
Members of the armed forces and their families faced legal hurdles like any other citizen, such as land disputes, service entitlements, or matrimonial issues. However, their unique service conditions made access to justice more difficult. This scheme was a solemn pledge to stand beside those who protected the country’s borders, ensuring that their rights were not left unprotected, he added.
Calling it a historic step in NALSA’s 30-year journey of delivering justice to the marginalised, Justice Kant said the initiative was the country’s way of saying that just as the defence personnel safeguarded the nation’s freedom, their dignity and rights were safeguarded by this initiative.
He outlined the three pillars of the Yojana. The scheme would establish a dedicated network of legal services clinics at zilla, rajya, and Kendriya Sainik Boards. Under the Yojana, trained nodal officers, legal aid counsels and PLVs, including ex-servicemen, would assist families in a compassionate and timely manner. The service would provide digital access and online redressal mechanisms, including e-Lok Adalats and online mediation, to ensure speed and convenience.
Justice Kant said the launch of Veer Parivaar Sahayata Yojana 2025 marked a milestone in bridging the gap between legal services and the nation’s defenders, echoing NALSA’s guiding motto of ‘Access to Justice for All’.
Speaking on the occasion, Arjun Ram Meghwal, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Law and Justice, said the scheme resonated with the Government’s commitment to inclusive justice, digital empowerment, and fast-tracking cases involving defence personnel.
Justice Arun Palli, Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, stressed on the need for judiciary-led technological interventions to prioritise and fast-track cases involving defence personnel, ensuring that their limited time on leave was not lost in prolonged legal processes.
Supreme Court judges – Justice PS Narasimha; Justice Rajesh Bindal and Justice N Kotiswar Singh, along with Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Lt Gen Pratik Sharma, PVSM, AVSM, SM, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command, graced the occasion.
The event was also attended by judges of the Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court – Justice Sanjeev Kumar, Executive Chairman, J&K Legal Services Authority and Justice Sindhu Sharma, Executive Chairperson, Ladakh Legal Services Authority. Their participation underscored the judiciary’s collective commitment to strengthening legal aid frameworks for defence personnel and tribal communities.