Kohima, July 26, 2025 – In a landmark initiative to provide accessible justice to India’s defence community, a Legal Services Clinic was inaugurated at the Rajya Sainik Board in Kohima, Nagaland. The launch coincided with the national rollout of the Veer Parivar Sahayata Yojana-2025, aimed at extending welfare support to soldiers, veterans, and their families.
The clinic, set up under the aegis of NALSA (National Legal Services Authority), was established in close coordination with the Nagaland State Legal Services Authority (NSLSA). It will offer free legal aid and counseling to serving defence personnel, ex-servicemen, and their dependents. Services will cover a wide range of issues, including pension-related grievances, service matters, and civil disputes.
The inauguration ceremony was conducted virtually and was graced by Hon’ble Justice Surya Kant, Judge of the Supreme Court of India and Executive Chairman of NALSA, who joined the event from Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir. The event also witnessed the presence of the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C) of the Northern Command, along with several other dignitaries.
Justice Surya Kant lauded the initiative as a “significant step in delivering timely and effective legal support” to India’s armed forces, who make unmatched sacrifices for the nation. He emphasized that the clinic would serve as a bridge to justice, helping defence families navigate complex legal systems with dignity and ease.
The launch of the Legal Services Clinic also marks a major milestone in NALSA’s continued efforts to extend the reach of legal services to marginalized and deserving communities, especially those who have dedicated their lives to national service.
Officials from the Indian Army, legal fraternity, and civil administration applauded the initiative, noting that it would empower defence personnel and their families with legal literacy and remedies, particularly in a remote and strategically sensitive region like Nagaland.
The clinic at Kohima is expected to serve as a model for replication across other parts of the Northeast and India, further strengthening the welfare net for the nation’s bravehearts.
This development underscores the government’s commitment to upholding the legal rights and dignity of defence personnel and their families through sustained, on-ground support.
