LEGAL SERVICES AUTHORITIES ACT, 1987

INTRODUCTION -

The Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, is aimed to provide free and
competent Legal Services to the weaker sections of the society to
ensure that opportunities for securing justice are not denied to any
citizen by reason of economic or other disabilities and to organize Lok
Adalats to secure that the operation of the legal system promotes
justice on a basis equal opportunity. Access to justice for all is the
moto of Legal Service Authorities. The state shall secure that the
operation of the legal system promotes justice on the basis of equal
opportunity and shall in particular provide free legal aid.

Section 12 of the Legal Services authorities Act, 1987 prescribes the

criteria for giving free legal services to the eligible persons. Section
21(2) of the Act also makes it clear that the decisions of the Lok
Adalat organised under this Act has a binding force on both the
parties to the case.

KEY FEATURES OF LEGAL SERVICES AUTHORITY ACT:

KEY FEATURES OF LEGAL SERVICES AUTHORITY ACT:
KEY FEATURES OF LEGAL SERVICES AUTHORITY ACT:
KEY FEATURES OF LEGAL SERVICES AUTHORITY ACT –

1. To give effect to the policies and directions of the Central

Authority.
2. To provide legal service to persons who satisfy the criteria laid
down in the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987
3. To conduct Lok Adalats at various levels.
Section 12 of the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 prescribes the
criteria for giving
 LEGAL SERVICES AUTHORITIES ACT, 1987
legal services to the eligible persons. Section 12 of the Act reads as
under:-
Every person who has to file or defend a case shall be entitled to legal
services under this
Act if that person is –
(a) a member of a Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe;
(b) a victim of trafficking in human beings or beggar as referred to in
Article 23 of the
Constitution;
(c) a woman or a child;
(d) a mentally ill or otherwise disabled person;
(e) a person under circumstances of undeserved want such as being
a victim of a mass
disaster, ethnic violence, caste atrocity, flood, drought, earthquake or
industrial disaster;
or
(f) an industrial workman; or
(g) in custody, including custody in a protective home within the
meaning of clause (g) of
section 2 of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956 (104 of 1956);
or in a juvenile
home within the meaning of clause.
(j) of section 2 of the Juvenile Justice Act, 1986 (53 of 1986) or in a
psychiatric hospital
or psychiatric nursing home within the meaning of clause (g) of
section 2 of the Mental
Health Act, 1987 (14 of 1987); or
(h) in receipt of annual income less than rupees nine thousand or
such other higher
amount as may be prescribed by the State Govt., if the case is before
a court other than
the Supreme Court, and less than rupees twelve thousand or such
other higher amount as
may be prescribed by the Central Govt., if the case is before the
Supreme Court.”(Rules
have already been amended to enhance this income ce
Section 12 of the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 prescribes the
criteria for giving
legal services to the eligible persons. Section 12 of the Act reads as
under:-
 LEGAL SERVICES AUTHORITIES ACT, 1987
Every person who has to file or defend a case shall be entitled to legal
services under this
Act if that person is –
(a) a member of a Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe;
(b) a victim of trafficking in human beings or beggar as referred to in
Article 23 of the
Constitution;
(c) a woman or a child;
(d) a mentally ill or otherwise disabled person;
(e) a person under circumstances of undeserved want such as being
a victim of a mass
disaster, ethnic violence, caste atrocity, flood, drought, earthquake or
industrial disaster;
or
(f) an industrial workman; or
(g) in custody, including custody in a protective home within the
meaning of clause (g) of
section 2 of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956 (104 of 1956);
or in a juvenile
home within the meaning of clause.
(j) of section 2 of the Juvenile Justice Act, 1986 (53 of 1986) or in a
psychiatric hospital
or psychiatric nursing home within the meaning of clause (g) of
section 2 of the Mental
Health Act, 1987 (14 of 1987); or
(h) in receipt of annual income less than rupees nine thousand or
such other higher
amount as may be prescribed by the State Govt., if the case is before
a court other than
the Supreme Court, and less than rupees twelve thousand or such
other higher amount as
may be prescribed by the Central Govt., if the case is before the
Supreme Court.”(Rules
have already been amended to enhance this income ce
Section 12 of the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 prescribes the
criteria for giving
legal services to the eligible persons. Section 12 of the Act reads as
under:-
Every person who has to file or defend a case shall be entitled to legal
services under this
Act if that person is –
 LEGAL SERVICES AUTHORITIES ACT, 1987
(a) a member of a Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe;
(b) a victim of trafficking in human beings or beggar as referred to in
Article 23 of the
Constitution;
(c) a woman or a child;
(d) a mentally ill or otherwise disabled person;
(e) a person under circumstances of undeserved want such as being
a victim of a mass
disaster, ethnic violence, caste atrocity, flood, drought, earthquake or
industrial disaster;
or
(f) an industrial workman; or
(g) in custody, including custody in a protective home within the
meaning of clause (g) of
section 2 of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956 (104 of 1956);
or in a juvenile
home within the meaning of clause.
(j) of section 2 of the Juvenile Justice Act, 1986 (53 of 1986) or in a
psychiatric hospital
or psychiatric nursing home within the meaning of clause (g) of
section 2 of the Mental
Health Act, 1987 (14 of 1987); or
(h) in receipt of annual income less than rupees nine thousand or
such other higher
amount as may be prescribed by the State Govt., if the case is before
a court other than
the Supreme Court, and less than rupees twelve thousand or such
other higher amount as
may be prescribed by the Central Govt., if the case is before the
Supreme Court.”(Rules
have already been amended to enhance this income ce
Section 12 of the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 prescribes the
criteria for giving
legal services to the eligible persons. Section 12 of the Act reads as
under:-
Every person who has to file or defend a case shall be entitled to legal
services under this
Act if that person is –
(a) a member of a Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe;
(b) a victim of trafficking in human beings or beggar as referred to in
Article 23 of the
 LEGAL SERVICES AUTHORITIES ACT, 1987
Constitution;
(c) a woman or a child;
(d) a mentally ill or otherwise disabled person;
(e) a person under circumstances of undeserved want such as being
a victim of a mass
disaster, ethnic violence, caste atrocity, flood, drought, earthquake or
industrial disaster;
or
(f) an industrial workman; or
(g) in custody, including custody in a protective home within the
meaning of clause (g) of
section 2 of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956 (104 of 1956);
or in a juvenile
home within the meaning of clause.
(j) of section 2 of the Juvenile Justice Act, 1986 (53 of 1986) or in a
psychiatric hospital
or psychiatric nursing home within the meaning of clause (g) of
section 2 of the Mental
Health Act, 1987 (14 of 1987); or
(h) in receipt of annual income less than rupees nine thousand or
such other higher
amount as may be prescribed by the State Govt., if the case is before
a court other than
the Supreme Court, and less than rupees twelve thousand or such
other higher amount as
may be prescribed by the Central Govt., if the case is before the
Supreme Court.”(Rules
have already been amended to enhance this income ce
Section 12 of the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 prescribes the
criteria for giving
legal services to the eligible persons. Section 12 of the Act reads as
under:-
Every person who has to file or defend a case shall be entitled to legal
services under this
Act if that person is –
(a) a member of a Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe;
(b) a victim of trafficking in human beings or beggar as referred to in
Article 23 of the
Constitution;
(c) a woman or a child;
(d) a mentally ill or otherwise disabled person;
 LEGAL SERVICES AUTHORITIES ACT, 1987
(e) a person under circumstances of undeserved want such as being
a victim of a mass
disaster, ethnic violence, caste atrocity, flood, drought, earthquake or
industrial disaster;
or
(f) an industrial workman; or
(g) in custody, including custody in a protective home within the
meaning of clause (g) of
section 2 of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956 (104 of 1956);
or in a juvenile
home within the meaning of clause.
(j) of section 2 of the Juvenile Justice Act, 1986 (53 of 1986) or in a
psychiatric hospital
or psychiatric nursing home within the meaning of clause (g) of
section 2 of the Mental
Health Act, 1987 (14 of 1987); or
(h) in receipt of annual income less than rupees nine thousand or
such other higher
amount as may be prescribed by the State Govt., if the case is before
a court other than
the Supreme Court, and less than rupees twelve thousand or such
other higher amount as
may be prescribed by the Central Govt., if the case is before the
Supreme Court.”(Rules
have already been amended to enhance this income ce
Section 12 of the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 prescribes the
criteria for giving
legal services to the eligible persons. Section 12 of the Act reads as
under:-
Every person who has to file or defend a case shall be entitled to legal
services under this
Act if that person is –
(a) a member of a Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe;
(b) a victim of trafficking in human beings or beggar as referred to in
Article 23 of the
Constitution;
(c) a woman or a child;
(d) a mentally ill or otherwise disabled person;
(e) a person under circumstances of undeserved want such as being
a victim of a mass
 LEGAL SERVICES AUTHORITIES ACT, 1987
disaster, ethnic violence, caste atrocity, flood, drought, earthquake or
industrial disaster;
or
(f) an industrial workman; or
(g) in custody, including custody in a protective home within the
meaning of clause (g) of
section 2 of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956 (104 of 1956);
or in a juvenile
home within the meaning of clause.
(j) of section 2 of the Juvenile Justice Act, 1986 (53 of 1986) or in a
psychiatric hospital
or psychiatric nursing home within the meaning of clause (g) of
section 2 of the Mental
Health Act, 1987 (14 of 1987); or
(h) in receipt of annual income less than rupees nine thousand or
such other higher
amount as may be prescribed by the State Govt., if the case is before
a court other than
the Supreme Court, and less than rupees twelve thousand or such
other higher amount as
may be prescribed by the Central Govt., if the case is before the
Supreme Court.”(Rules
have already been amended to enhance this income ce
Section 12 of the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 prescribes the
criteria for giving
legal services to the eligible persons. Section 12 of the Act reads as
under:-
Every person who has to file or defend a case shall be entitled to legal
services under this
Act if that person is
Section 12 of the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 prescribes the
criteria for giving
legal services to the eligible persons. Section 12 of the Act reads as
under:-
Every person who has to file or defend a case shall be entitled to legal
services under this
Act if that person is
Section 12 of the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 prescribes the
criteria for giving
legal services to the eligible persons. Section 12 of the Act reads as
under:-
 LEGAL SERVICES AUTHORITIES ACT, 1987
Every person who has to file or defend a case shall be entitled to legal
services under this
Act if that person is
4. To encourage the settlement of disputes by way of Negotiation,
Arbitration and Conciliation.
5. To secure the legal rights of poor, down trodden and weaker
section of the society.
6. To ensure that the operation of the legal system promotes
justice on a basis of equal opportunity.

Legal Services Authorities at various levels-

1. National Legal Services Authority Act (NALSA)

2. State Legal Services Authority
3. District Legal Services Authority
4. Taluk Legal Services Committees.

Conclusion –

Legal aid is not a charity or bounty, but is an obligation of the state

and right of the citizens. The focus of legal aid is on distributive
justice, effective implementation of welfare benefits and elimination of
social and structural discrimination against the poor. It works in
accordance with the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 which acts
as the guideline of the rendering of free justice. The prime object of
the state should be equal justice for all. Thus, legal aid strives to
ensure that the constitutional pledge is fulfilled in its letter and spirit
and equal justice is made available to the downtrodden and weaker
sections of the society. But in spite of the fact that free legal aid has
been held to be necessary adjunct of the rule of law, the legal aid
movement has not achieved its goal. There is a wide gap between the
goals set and met. The major obstacle to the legal aid movement in
India is the lack of legal awareness. People are still not aware of their
basic rights due to which the legal aid movement has not achieved its
 LEGAL SERVICES AUTHORITIES ACT, 1987
goal yet. It is the absence of legal awareness which leads to
exploitation and deprivation of rights and benefits of the poor.