Free Legal Aid Available for Persons with Mental Illness and Intellectual Disabilities

NALSA’s ManoNyay Scheme aims to ensure equal access to justice: Kuldeep Sharma

Hamirpur, August 26: The Legal Services Unit for ManoNyay (LSUM) of the District Legal Services Authority, Hamirpur, organised a legal awareness camp at the Police Station premises on Wednesday.

Presiding over the camp, DLSA Secretary Kuldeep Sharma said the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) has introduced several schemes to make justice accessible to all, with free legal aid being one of its key initiatives.

He said SC/ST persons, women, children, persons with disabilities, disaster victims, victims of atrocities, workers, transgender persons, prisoners and people from all categories with an annual income below ₹3 lakh are eligible for free legal assistance.

He informed that NALSA has also launched ManoNyay to provide free legal aid and mental health support to persons with mental illness and intellectual disabilities. The scheme aims to ensure their equal access to the justice system.

Sharma said a ManoNyay unit has also been established in Hamirpur, through which free legal assistance is being provided to eligible persons. A panel of trained lawyers has been constituted, who can also visit the homes of persons with mental illness or intellectual disabilities when required.

He said the process of applying for free legal aid is simple. Eligible persons can approach the Front Office at any court complex or contact the NALSA helpline at 15100.

DSP Raj Kumar, Dr. Kamal Prakash, Head of the Department of Psychiatry at Dr. Radhakrishnan Government Medical College, Hamirpur, Dr. Sandeep Kumar and other psychiatrists also shared important information during the programme.

Police Station In-charge Kulwant Singh, other officials and members of the public were also present.