SRINAGAR: In a significant move to enhance the citizen services, the Department of Law, Justice & Parliamentary Affairs today presented to the Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo, a new initiative on ‘Citizen Centric Services’.
The presentation, led by Secretary Law, Achal Sethi, in the presence of Secretary, IT, Dr Piyush Singla; SIO, NIC, JS Modi and others, detailed a comprehensive plan to leverage a mobile application and helpline to provide a wide range of legal and administrative services to the public.
The initiative is structured into ten distinct modules, each designed to simplify public access to key services, including the Legal Aid/Advice Module. This module would help citizens to seek legal aid and advice via a mobile app or helpline. The module will connect them with Legal Aid Counsels and Pro Bono Counsels and provide contact details for the State and District Legal Services Authorities (SLSA/DLSA).
The mobile application will provide easy access to both Central and UT Acts, Rules & Notifications, with links to the Law Department’s website and the India Code website.
It will have a unique feature of providing an enrolment process, welfare schemes, notary and oath commissioner services and a list of government advocates besides standing counsels and career guidance for Advocates. The app will provide unique features for guiding citizens for registration of documents and the registration of marriages under different Laws.
This module will offer a list of MLAs with their contact details, information on legislative business, committee reports, and Q&As in the Legislative Assembly. It will also provide a link to live proceedings and a platform for public opinion on draft legislation.
The mobile app will also feature information on various courts, including the Supreme Court, High Court and District Courts, along with cause lists and the status of cases. It will also provides information on landmark judgments and details of courts and their locations.
The module further envisages guiding citizens on law-related education, providing a list of National Law Universities (NLUs) and local universities offering law courses. It will also offer advice from legal experts on how and when to apply.
The citizens can also find details on the registration process, including office locations, model templates, a checklist of required documents and a list of stamp vendors.
An AI-powered chatbot will be available to assist with various legal issues for the assistance of all. The final module allows for submission of grievances, complaints, and feedback, with a system for generating acknowledgements and replies.
The implementation of these services is aimed at increasing the transparency, improving access to justice and enhancing the overall efficiency of the legal and parliamentary affairs department for the citizens of Jammu and Kashmir.
Calling the initiative a milestone in public service delivery, the Chief Secretary underscored its potential to serve as a national model. He urged the departments to work in close coordination to ensure its timely and effective rollout. “This platform reflects our commitment to legal empowerment and inclusive governance. It will transform legal aid into a truly accessible right for every citizen,” he added.
