Tele-Law is a free legal advice service that connects citizens with panel lawyers through a Common Service Centre, telephone or video consultation. To use it at a CSC, ask the operator to register your legal issue and arrange an appointment. The official FAQ says advice is free for all citizens. The benefit is access to a consultation, rather than a cash payment or an automatic court order.
| Question | What the official FAQ says |
|---|---|
| Who can seek advice | All citizens |
| Service fee | Free |
| CSC registration help | Village Level Entrepreneur or Para Legal Volunteer |
| Advice provider | Panel lawyer |
| Consultation slot | 20 minutes in the FAQ's service description |
What is Tele-Law service used for?
The official Tele-Law FAQ lists family disputes, divorce, domestic violence, maintenance, property and land rights among matters for which people can seek advice. It also includes equal wages, maternity benefits, child protection, workplace sexual harassment and the process of registering an FIR. A useful first request is a clear explanation of the legal issue and what action you need help understanding.
For example, someone facing a disagreement over family property can ask what documents a lawyer needs to examine and which authority handles the next step. The consultation gives the lawyer a chance to understand the facts and explain the available legal route. The published service description does not promise that a dispute will be settled during the appointment or that the applicant will win a later case.
Who registers a Tele-Law appointment at a CSC?
The Village Level Entrepreneur, usually called the VLE, operates the CSC and can explain the service, enter the applicant's information and upload relevant documents. The operator then generates an appointment with a panel lawyer. The FAQ says appointment information is sent to the registered contact number by SMS, including the date and time. Check that those details match the arrangement explained at the centre.
A Para Legal Volunteer, or PLV, may also help identify the issue, organise registration and connect the applicant with a lawyer. The official FAQ makes clear that a PLV is not a lawyer. The volunteer's role is to facilitate access and help the applicant understand the process. The legal consultation itself is provided by a practising advocate on the panel.
To locate assistance, use the CSC and VLE information section linked from the official Tele-Law home page. The FAQ explains that state listings can provide centre addresses and volunteer details. You can also ask at the local CSC whether it offers Tele-Law. Confirm the appointment arrangements with the centre before making a separate journey for the consultation.
Tele-Law documents required for registration
The FAQ asks citizens to provide personal information and appropriate documents where applicable. If an applicant is recording eligibility under a category in Section 12 of the Legal Services Authorities Act, supporting proof of that category may be required. This document requirement should not be confused with a statement that only those categories can use Tele-Law: the same FAQ explicitly says advice is free for all citizens.
Bring the papers that explain your issue and ask the VLE or PLV which are relevant for uploading. For a property question, that may mean the records you want the lawyer to examine; for an existing legal matter, keep the relevant case papers available. These are practical preparation examples, not a universal official checklist. The centre should guide you according to the particular issue being registered.
How long is a consultation, and can it be rescheduled?
The FAQ describes an appointment of 20 minutes and a maximum of three consultation chances on the same case. Its scheduling answers say a same-day consultation can depend on lawyer availability. Do not treat registration as a guarantee of an immediate connection. Use the confirmed appointment details, especially when the centre or lawyer needs to change a time.
If an appointment is missed or disrupted, the FAQ provides for rescheduling. The applicant, lawyer or VLE can take part in arranging another slot through the service. It also says lawyer selection can take account of location, gender preference and availability shown in the calendar. Ask the centre to explain the available choices instead of assuming that a particular advocate will always be free.
Privacy, follow-up and the difference from court representation
The official FAQ says personal and case details are kept confidential. Where a volunteer joins a consultation to help the applicant understand the advice, it describes doing so with the applicant's consent. Keep the appointment message and any registration reference so that a later query can be connected to the same matter. The FAQ lists 011-23074401 and 011-23070627 for service complaints or suggestions.
These instructions were checked on 2 November 2026 at approximately 21:52 IST. No new registration deadline was confirmed. Readers who need a lawyer to represent them in proceedings should separately examine our free legal aid eligibility guide. For other complaint routes, see consumer complaint filing through e Jagriti and RTI Online application rules. A Tele-Law appointment does not itself file either application.
