Tele-Law and Nyaya Bandhu: a lawyer by phone, and a lawyer who works for free

Tele-Law is a free Government of India service that connects you to a panel lawyer by video or phone for advice before you ever file a case, and Nyaya Bandhu is its pro bono arm for people who then need someone to represent them. It was launched in April 2017 and runs through Common Service Centres in villages, a web portal in 22 languages, a mobile app, and a toll-free number, 14454. In August 2023 the two services were joined under one registration, so a person who gets advice can be passed to a volunteer advocate without starting over. Nyaya Bandhu is open to people who qualify for free legal aid under section 12 of the Legal Services Authorities Act 1987. The service sits under the DISHA scheme, which was launched for five years from 2021, so check the current status of the scheme before relying on a specific feature. Tele-Law gives advice, not courtroom representation, and it is not a substitute for the State Legal Services Authorities covered in the first guide.

Citation: 'Tele-Law' (Department of Justice, Ministry of Law and Justice) https://www.tele-law.in/; 'Designing Innovative Solutions for Holistic Access to Justice (DISHA) Scheme' (Vikaspedia, Ministry of Law and Justice) https://vikaspedia.in/e-governance/online-legal-services/designing-innovative-solutions-for-holistic-access-to-justice-scheme both accessed 18 October 2026.