National Legal Services Authority - All you need to know
NALSA was established in 1995 under the authority of the Legal Services Authorities Act 1987.
Purpose:
- To provide free legal services to weaker sections of society and to organize Lok Adalats for the speedy resolution of cases.
- The prime objective of NALSA is speedy disposal of cases and reducing the burden of the judiciary.
- Ensure that opportunities for securing justice are not denied to any citizen by reasons of economic or other disabilities.
Composition:
- Chief Justice of India is patron-in-chief of NALSA while the second seniormost judge of the Supreme Court of India is the Executive-Chairman.
Important functions:
- Organize Lok Adalats for amicable settlement of disputes.
- Identify specific categories of the marginalized and excluded groups and formulates various schemes for the implementation of preventive and strategic legal service programs.
- Provide free legal aid in civil and criminal matters for the poor and marginalized people who cannot afford the services of a lawyer in any court or tribunal.
State-level:
- In every State, State Legal Services Authority has been constituted to give effect to the policies and directions of the NALSA and to give free legal services to the people and conduct Lok Adalats in the State.
- The State Legal Services Authority is headed by Hon’ble the Chief Justice of the respective High Court who is the Patron-in-Chief of the State Legal Services Authority.
District-Level:
- In every District, District Legal Services Authority has been constituted to implement Legal Services Programmes in the District.
- District Legal Services Authority is situated in the District Courts Complex in every District and chaired by the District Judge of the respective district.
Article 39A 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 the law and a legal system that promotes justice on a basis of equal opportunity to all. Legal aid strives to ensure that the constitutional pledge is fulfilled in its letter and spirit and equal justice is made available to the poor, downtrodden, and weaker sections of society.
----------------
2020 Prelims Question on NLSA
1. In India, legal service authorities provide free legal services to which of the following type of citizens?
- A person with an annual income of less than Rs 1,00,000
- Transgender with an annual income of less than Rs2,00,000
- Member of other backward classes(OBC) with an annual income of less than Rs 3,00,000
- All senior citizens
Select the correct answer using the given code below-
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 3 and 4 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1 and 4 only
Answer: A
Answer Source:
