INFORMATION AND FREE LEGAL ADVICE

Advocacy and Legal Advice Centre

Transparency International India is a part of global network including more than 100 locally established national chapters and chapters- in formation. TII is a non government, non- party and not-for-profit organi ation of Indian citi ens with professional, social, industrial or academic e!perience seeking to promote transparent and ethical governance and to eradicate corruption. Advocacy and Legal Advice Centres (ALAC) Anti Corr!"tion #el"line "#"$ refers to "dvocacy and #egal "dvice $entre. %tarted in &00' by three (ational $hapters of TI)osnia and *er egovina, +acedonia and ,omania there are now over hundreds "#"$s operating in -& countries, and many new countries ready to launch "#"$ programmes. In India$ t%e ALAC is sta&&ed 'y a La(yer and ot%er logistic sta&&) ALAC Director$ state ALAC Coordinator$ %el"line Monitor etc) A "o"!lar %el"line n!*'er is installed to &acilitate large n!*'er o& co*"lainants) T%e core "!r"ose is to in&or* citi+ens a'o!t t%eir legal rig%ts$ "rovide legal assistance and e,!i" t%e* to ta-e action on cases o& corr!"tion t%at t%ey %ave 'een victi*s o&) TI India will also collaborate with other like minded civil society organi ations and nongovernmental organi ations that have similar ob.ectives. TII will also send cases of people in need who have to go into litigation to (/0s that provide legal aid. Page 1 of 4

TI India is certain that this endeavour 1"#"$2 go a long way in curbing corruption in the country. TII looks forward to public support and re3uests cooperation from all citi ens. ALACs see- to %el" t%e victi*s o& corr!"tion 'y advising t%e* s!ita'ly on t%e legal re*edies availa'le to t%e* and also %el"ing t%e* in dra&ting o& co*"laints$ legal "a"ers etc. 4or this purpose the victims or witnesses can contact "#"$s at the walk in centres or through the helpline no. "#"$s provide an effective mechanism for the victims of corruption to approach us and seek redress. The centers receives complaints from victims directly and advise them on the legal remedies available to them, thereafter if the complainant wants to pursue the complaint then all possible legal assistance is provided to him. .e also dra&t RTI/RT0 a""lication &or citi+ens .or-ing o& ALACs "#"$s work in a simple and uncomplicated manner, the complaint is received from the complainant through a free helpline numbers or through "#"$ walk in centre or emails or posts. Thereafter, the complainant is advised about the legal remedies available to him and accordingly it is left to the complainant to decide whether he wants to proceed or not. I& t%e victi* decides to "!rs!e %is case t%en %e is "rovided (it% all s!""ort in dra&ting t%e co*"laint$ "re"aring t%e legal "a"ers$ a""roac%ing t%e rig%t de"art*ents) Nor*ally$ (e &or(ard original co*"laint along (it% o!r covering letter to concerned o&&icials as (ell %ig%er a!t%ority) 5sually, the data collected through such sources is more reliable as it is based on direct interaction with victims in specific cases rather than using survey methods. The data collected through such sources helps us in advocating for greater structural $hanges Thus, "#"$ acts as a conduit between the aggrieved people and the government and keeps a watch on the action taken by the government. T%e rationale &or t%e ALAC is t%at The fight against corruption will be more effective if citi ens are involved directly both as complaints as well as beneficiary from this tool 6ngaging directly with citi ens provides a deeper understanding as to how corruption works in practice (in&or*ation availa'le &ro* s!rveys *ay not 'e so relia'le)

,eflecting the real e!periences of people enhances the legitimacy of advocacy campaigns 1grounded in the concerns of the population7 not .ust 8opinion92 O!r #el" lines are s!""le*ent to Govt) 1!'lic Grievance 0yste*

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4or this we plan to integrate govt. anticorruption helpline with the field assistants:volunteers. ;e used to take follow up the complaints sent in respective agencies and departments. T%ere (ill 'e no c%arges &or call$ legal advice etc) Co*"laints &or(arded and contin!o!sly &ollo(ed !" !ntil (or- done) 0ther aspects like awareness through word of mouth, being on the right side of the law while solving problems etc Targeted 0ervices <olice (on ,egistration of 4.I., :(.$., /ovt.%chemes and <ro.ects 0ld age pension %anitation $aste $ertificate )irth $ertificate *ealth %ervices ,ation $ard =omicile $ertificate =riving #icense %oft #oans under governments employment schemes and 6ducation loan %chool "dmissions under ,T6 ,evenue department issues <assport "griculture and %ubsidies =rinking ;ater )elow <overty #ine $ards ;idow <ension #ower >udiciary

"#"$ help lines are already functioning at =elhi $ Ranc%i$ 1atna$ 2%!'anes(ar$ 3ai"!r$ and C%ennai)

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2%!'anes(ar C%ennai Del%i

ALAC Anti4Corr!"tion #el"4lines 5678 9:4 :::4 9: 588 684 :;4 <888

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3ai"!r 1atna Ranc%i

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TRAN01ARENC? INTERNATIONAL INDIA Registered O&&ice Ar. (o. ?, #a.pat )hawan, #a.pat (agar IB, (ew =elhi 1100&? <h. C 011-&-?-0D&- 4a!C011- &-?&? @@& 6mailC infoEtransparencyindia.org7 tiindia.newdelhiEgmail.com ;ebsiteC www.transparencyindia.org 1ro@ect O&&ice (-'F, (ational <ark, #a.pat (agar IB, (ew =elhi 1100&? <h.C 011- ?0-' ?FGF7 ?0@1F'0' 4a!C &-?- 0D&? 6mailC helplineEtransparencyindia.org7 alac.indiaEyahoo.com ;ebsiteC www.transparencyindia.org

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