NALSA and Related Issues

In accordance with Article 39A of the Indian Constitution, everyone is guaranteed access to justice and is entitled to free legal representation. The Legal Services Authorities Act was passed in 1987 in order to provide a standard national system for giving competent legal advice and representation to the most vulnerable members of society. The National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) was established to provide rules and guidelines for the provision of legal services, assess the effectiveness of legal aid programmes, and supervise their implementation.

What does the term NALSA Exactly Define?

Under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) was established to establish Lok Adalats for the peaceful resolution of disputes and to offer free legal services to the less fortunate members of society. It establishes guidelines and procedures for rendering legal services in accordance with the Act, as well as monitoring and assessing the performance of legal aid programmes.

Additionally, it provides financing and grants to non-profit organisations and state legal services agencies to support the implementation of their projects and procedures for providing legal aid.

Institutions Offering Legal Services at Various Levels

The following are the institutions offering legal services at various levels −

• National Level − In accordance with the Legal Services Authorities Act of 1987, NALSA was established. The Chief Patron is the Chief Justice of India.

• State Level − The authority at the State Level is State Legal Services. The Chief Justice of the State High Court, who serves as its Patron-in-Chief, is in charge of it.

• District Level − The authority for District level is District Legal Services. Its ex-officio Chairman is the District Judge of that particular District.

• Taluka/Sub-Division Level − The committee for Taluka/Subdivisional level is Taluka/Subdivisional Legal Services. A senior Civil Judge serves as its chairman.

• High Court − The committee for the High Court is High Court Legal Services.

• Supreme Court − The committee for the Supreme Court is Supreme Court Legal Services.

Eligibility for Free Legal Services

The following are the person are eligible for free legal services −

• Children and Women.

• Workers from SC/ST industries.

• Mass casualty, violent, flood, drought, quake, and industrial catastrophe victims.

• Disabled individuals.

• People held in detention.

• Victims of human trafficking or the poor.

• If the matter is before a court other than the Supreme Court, those individuals whose yearly income is less than the limit set by the relevant State Government, or less than Rs. 5 Lakh if the case is before the Supreme Court.

Recent Related Programmes

The following are recent related programmes −

• DISHA Scheme − Through the "Designing Innovative Solutions for Holistic Access to Justice (DISHA)" programme, the Department of Justice (DoJ) has introduced a complete, holistic, integrated, and systemic solution to access to justice at the national level of India. DISHA will be in effect from 2021 to 2026. All Access to Justice Programmes have been combined under the DISHA programme and expanded to the level of the entire country.

• Legal Service Mobile App − NALSA has released the Legal Services Mobile App for Android and IOS versions to make it simple for regular people to get legal assistance in order to allow equal access to justice.

• Tele-Law − Tele-law is a digital platform that offers pre-litigation guidance to help people assert their rights and get help for their problems as soon as possible. Through a specialised pool of Panel Lawyers and the video conferencing/telephonic capabilities offered at Common Service Centres (CSCs), it aims to link the underprivileged and marginalised groups of society.

• Nyaya Bandhu (Pro Bono Legal Services): − It aims to advance the culture of pro bono and provide a framework for the dispensation of pro bono legal services across the country. It connects those who qualify for free legal aid under Section 12 of the Legal Services Authorities (LSA) Act of 1987 with attorneys who work pro bono.

• Nyaya Mitra − It aims to make it easier for the district courts to use Nyaya Mitra to help reduce the backlog of cases that have been waiting in the district court and subordinate judiciary for ten years.

• Legal Literacy and Legal Awareness − In order to make the justice delivery system more citizen-centric, Pan India Legal Literacy and Legal Awareness seeks to provide the most vulnerable members of society with access to knowledge about their legal rights and entitlements.

Conclusion

NALSA is a group that offers low-income people in society access to free and high-quality legal representation. It guarantees that no one is denied justice and plans Lok Adalats to facilitate peaceful conflict resolution. It promotes legal knowledge and education and takes on social justice cases in court. In addition to outlining numerous plans for the execution of preventative and strategic legal service programmes. It specifies particular categories of marginalised and excluded groups from the varied population of the nation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are senior citizens eligible for free legal aid?

The rules established in this regard by the individual State Governments determine whether senior citizen are eligible for free legal help.

For instance, older residents in Delhi are qualified for free legal assistance up to a certain yearly income cap. Anyone over 60 years old is eligible to apply for free legal assistance or services.

How do legal services work?

Free legal aid is one of the services offered by the legal profession to those members of society who fall under Section 12 of the Legal Services Authority Act of 1987. It includes organising Lok Adalats for amicable resolution of issues, raising legal awareness through legal awareness camps, print media, and digital media, and taking required actions through social action lawsuits. Legal services also include assisting recipients in receiving benefits under different government programmes, regulations, and laws.

How old must a child be to qualify for free legal assistance?

Section 12(c) of the Legal Services Authorities Act of 1987 states that a child is eligible for free legal assistance until the age of majority, which is 18 years.