New Delhi: The Government has approved a proposal to provide free legal assistance senior citizens, dependent family members of defence, paramilitary and police forces personnel, and victims of terror attacks and riots.
A meeting of the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, approved an amendment to the Legal Services Authorities Act 1987 for the purpose and bring a Bill in Parliament, Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal told reporters here.
He said the UPA government has decided to amend the existing law to include these categories of people in the list, like senior citizens having an income limit of up to Rs 1.2 lakh per annum.
It would enable legal services authorities to provide free legal aid these sections of people, he said, adding "the intention is to provide legal protection to these special categories and to avoid any kind of economic disability".
In another decision, the Cabinet approved signing of a mutual legal assistance treaty in criminal matters between India and Bosnia-Herzegovina.
In the context of trans-national crime and its linkages to terrorism, the proposed treaty would provide a broad legal framework for bilateral cooperation in the field of security and law enforcement.
