National Legal Services Authorities
- The NALSA was founded in 1995 under the Legal Services Authorities Act of 1987 to monitor and review the effectiveness of legal aid programs and to develop rules and principles for providing legal services under the Act.
- It also distributes funding and grants to state legal services authorities and non-profit organizations to help them execute legal aid systems and initiatives.
Constitutional Provisions:
- Article 39A of the Constitution of India provides that State shall secure that the operation of the legal system promotes justice on a basis of equal opportunity, and shall in particular, provide free legal aid, by suitable legislation or schemes or in any other way, to ensure that opportunities for securing justice are not denied to any citizen by reason of economic or other disability.
- Articles 14 and 22(1) also make it obligatory for the State to ensure equality before law and a legal system which promotes justice on a basis of equal opportunity to all.
Objectives of Legal Services Authorities:
- Provide free legal aid and advice.
- Spread legal awareness.
- Organize lok adalats.
- Promote settlements of disputes through Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Mechanisms.
- Various kinds of ADR mechanisms are Arbitration, Conciliation, Judicial settlement including settlement through Lok Adalat, or Mediation.
- Provide compensation to victims of crime.
Legal Services Institutions at Various Levels
National Level:
- NALSA was constituted under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987. The Chief Justice of India is the Patron-in-Chief.
State Level:
- State Legal Services Authority.
- It is headed by the Chief Justice of the State High Court who is its Patron-in-Chief.
District Level:
- District Legal Services Authority.
- The District Judge of the District is its ex-officio Chairman.
Taluka /Sub-Division Level:
- Taluka / Sub-Divisional Legal Services Committee.
- It is headed by a senior Civil Judge.
- High Court: High Court Legal Services Committee
- Supreme Court: Supreme Court Legal Services Committee
Free Legal Services
- Women and children
- Members of SC/ST
- Industrial workmen
- Victims of mass disaster, violence, flood, drought, earthquake, industrial disaster.
- Disabled persons
- Persons in custody
- Those persons who have annual income of less than the amount prescribed by the respective State Government, if the case is before any court other than the Supreme Court, and less than Rs. 5 Lakhs, if the case is before the Supreme Court.
- Victims of Trafficking in Human beings or beggar.