Supreme Court judge Justice Surya Kant unveils a nationwide legal aid scheme for soldiers and their families. The initiative ensures free legal help through Sainik Board clinics and ex-army advocates.
New Delhi: In a major step towards supporting the brave soldiers of India and their families, the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) has launched a new scheme called the Veer Parivar Sahayata Yojana 2025.
This initiative aims to provide free and effective legal help to Army and paramilitary personnel and their families, especially when they are unable to attend court proceedings due to their duty in remote and border areas.
Justice Surya Kant, Executive Chairman of NALSA and the next in line to become the Chief Justice of India, launched this scheme on Saturday.
He explained that soldiers face tough situations not only from enemy threats but also because they stay far from their families and cannot always take leave or attend to personal legal matters.
To reduce this burden, NALSA has designed this scheme to ensure that legal representation and assistance reach soldiers and their families at the grassroots level.
“Today, we have launched the Veer Parivar Sahayata Yojana 2025. Soldiers of the Army and paramilitary forces are posted in remote areas and the borders. Often, they can’t even talk to their families on the phone and can’t get leave. In such a situation, if there is a case against them or their family, they should not be deprived of anything. So, at NALSA, we decided to come up with a scheme in which they get legal aid, legal assistance and legal advice,”
said Justice Surya Kant, who conceived and led the creation of this scheme.
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Speaking to NDTV after the launch, he added that NALSA is working closely with the defence department to make sure the benefits of this scheme reach the right people.
He said,
“To provide this facility, we spoke to the concerned wings of the defence department. We will establish legal aid clinics in district and state Sainik Boards,”
Justice Kant also shared that this scheme will involve former soldiers who have become lawyers. They will be appointed as legal aid counsels under the scheme.
Additionally, family members of soldiers can contribute by serving as paralegal volunteers.
This will ensure that legal aid is not only professional but also comes from people who understand the lives of soldiers closely.
The goal of the Veer Parivar Sahayata Yojana 2025 is to allow our soldiers to concentrate on their duties without worrying about legal troubles back home.
NALSA wants to make sure that those who protect our borders are also protected in courtrooms.
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Justice Surya Kant also responded to a question about Operation Sindoor, India’s reply to the recent terror attack in Pahalgam. He expressed deep admiration and gratitude for the armed forces.
He said,
“The military, the soldiers, have made each citizen feel proud. They gave a befitting reply to the attack on our country’s integrity, on innocent citizens. The response made every citizen emotional and filled them with nationalistic feelings. In such a situation, we thought that when these people are doing so much for the country, in remote areas and at the borders, we should provide them this help,”
This initiative reflects the judiciary’s commitment to standing with the armed forces, not just in words but also through actions that can bring real support to their lives.
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