Srinagar: Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo, Thursday chaired a high-level review meeting of the ambitious Citizen Centric Services initiative of the Department of Law, Justice & Parliamentary Affairs. The meeting focused on evaluating the progress made so far and ensuring its timely launch for the benefit of people across Jammu & Kashmir.
Secretary, Law, Justice & Parliamentary Affairs, Achal Sethi, presented a detailed update on the development of the digital platform, comprising both a web portal and mobile application.
The meeting was also attended by Secretary IT, Dr. Piyush Singla; CEO JAKEGA, Mahima Madan; senior officers of the Law Department; and representatives of BISAG-N.
The Chief Secretary expressed satisfaction over the ongoing work and underlined the need for an early launch of the services within the stipulated timelines. He observed that the initiative holds immense potential to enhance transparency, accessibility, and efficiency in legal service delivery while simplifying citizens’ access to essential services such as legal aid and advice.
He observed that the platform is a reflection of the government’s commitment to legal empowerment, inclusive governance, and citizen-centric service delivery. Adding that it has the potential to serve as a model for other regions of the country to replicate.
Underscoring the importance of inclusivity, the Chief Secretary directed the Department to seek valuable inputs from legal experts, especially from the High Court of J&K and Ladakh, and incorporate their suggestions to make the services more comprehensive and beneficial for all stakeholders.
The Citizen Centric Services initiative encompasses ten integrated modules designed to simplify public access to legal services. Key features include a Legal Aid/Advice module that connects citizens with Legal Aid Counsels and Pro Bono Counsels, access to Central and UT Acts, Rules, Notifications, and landmark judgments, and information on court locations and real-time case status.
Other services on the platform include facilities related to notaries, oath commissioners, documents, and marriage registration. The portal also provides details of MLAs, legislative business, and enables public feedback on draft laws. Additionally, it offers legal education guidance and career support for aspiring legal professionals, an AI-powered chatbot for basic legal assistance, and a grievance redressal and feedback mechanism.
The Chief Secretary asked all stakeholders to work in close coordination to address any pending technical or administrative issues and ensure readiness of the platform as per schedule. He further emphasized the need for widespread awareness campaigns to maximize citizen outreach and effective utilization of the services by them post-launch.
The Department assured that necessary steps are being taken to meet the launch timeline and to operationalize the platform in a citizen-friendly and efficient manner.
