'Serve At Borders, We'll Take Care Of Family': Soldiers Get Legal Lifeline

For the first time in India's history, legal assistance will now be provided proactively to the families of soldiers. The new initiative, titled the NALSA Veer Parivar Sahayata Yojana 2025, is aimed at relieving Indian soldiers from the domestic legal burdens while they serve in harsh terrains and far-flung regions. In the landmark judicial move, the message is: You serve the country at the borders, we will take care of your family at home. 

The scheme was formally launched today at a conference in Srinagar by Justice Surya Kant, Executive Chairman of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) and the next Chief Justice of India.

Attending the launch event are Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, and Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.

The programme has its genesis in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor. Sources familiar with the matter told NDTV that Justice Surya Kant was deeply moved by the sacrifices made by the armed forces during the operation and began exploring ways in which the judiciary could contribute more directly to their well-being.

According to the sources, Justice Surya Kant remarked that the legal fraternity must do its part to ensure that soldiers defending the country are not left alone to handle personal legal crises.

This thought has since culminated in the NALSA Veer Parivar Sahayata Yojana, which Justice Kant is set to launch before taking over as Chief Justice of India on November 24.

The new scheme is tailored to address a longstanding issue: soldiers deployed in isolated areas often lack the ability to follow through on legal cases involving family property, domestic disputes, or land matters. For example, a soldier stationed in Jammu and Kashmir may have limited access or zero leave to appear in court proceedings back home in Kerala or Tamil Nadu.

Under the scheme, NALSA will intervene to ensure that such cases are properly represented in courts across the country. 

The support will also extend to paramilitary personnel, including those from the Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), and others who serve in similarly isolated and high-risk conditions.