SC calls for report on NALSA for extension of integrated helpline for women to entire country

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday expressed its inclination to examine a plea seeking replication of the NALSA (National Legal Services Authority) Women’s Integrated Help System to the entire country.

The project, which is presently operating on a pilot scale in Jammu & Kashmir and Chhattisgarh, provides hassle free access to justice to women victims of violence.

A bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Sudhanshu Dhulia sought a report from the NALSA within a period of three weeks on a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by NGOs The National Federation of Societies for Fast Justice and Aman Satya Kachroo Trust.

The plea, filed through advocate Satya Mitra, said that NWIHS-181/15100, a technology integrated system of 181 women helpline and NALSA legal Aid helpline 15100 and other government schemes, is successfully operating on a pilot scale in J&K and Chhattisgarh for the past 3 years, and sought direction to continue the pilot project in J&K and Chhattisgarh and for its extension to all states and Union Territories of the country.

It highlighted that extending NWIHS-181/15100 nationwide will not require a special budget as the software needed to manage the scheme is available for free.

The operating system software, also known as Raipur software, was developed by Aman Satya Kachroo Trust from private trust funds under the framework of Social Value investment partnership.

Presently, NWIHS-181/15100 provides access to justice services to women in cases like domestic violence, sexual violence, threat of violence, cybercrimes, welfare entitlements, etc. in J&K and Chhattisgarh.

The matter is likely to come up for further hearing on October 16.