LEGAL SERVICES AUTHORITY ACT, 1987 

I. INTRODUCTION 

● Justice  -  social,  economic  and  political  -  is  our  constitutional  pledge  enshrined  in  the 
Preamble of our Constitution.  
● Legal  assistance  and  free  legal  advice  is  the  only  way to guarantee equal protection of law to 
the poor.  
● In  a  developing  poor  country  like  India,  it  is  the  duty  of  the  State  to  enable  the  poor  to 
secure their legal rights.  
● Therefore,  the  Legal  Services  Authority  Act,  1987  had  been  enacted  with  the  motto  of 
"Access  to  Justice"  for  all.  It  came  into  force  on  November  9,  1995.  The  legislation  is 
beneficial and pro-bono in nature as it seeks to primarily help the poor.  
● The fundamental reasons for the introduction of the Act are as follows :- 
1. Constitutional Commitment  
2. Lack of Legal Awareness  
3. Legal Consultation is expensive 
4. Delay in disposal of cases 
5. Lastly, the legislative attempts and judicial contributions.  

In ​M.H. Hoskot v. State of Maharashtra., the apex court held that right to legal aid is an inalienable 
element  of  fair  procedure  and  therefore  the  same  is  an  implicit  aspect  of  Article  21  of  the 
Constitution in ensuring fairness and reasonableness.  

In the case of ​Hussainara Khatton v. State of Bihar and Suk Das v. State of Himachal Pradesh., ​it 
was  held  that  legal  aid  is  an  intrinsic  part  of  Right  to  life  under Article 21 and also Right to equality 
before lay under Article 14.  

II. OBJECTIVE OF THE ACT 

The  Preamble  to  the  Act  expressly  provides  that  this  legislation  has  been  enacted  for  the following 
purpose :- 

● To  constitute  legal  services  authorities  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 of equal opportunity . 

III. MEANING OF LEGAL SERVICE AND COURT 

Court  -  S.  2(1)  (aaa)  provides  that  a  'Court  '  means  a  ​civil,  criminal  or  revenue  Court  and  includes  any 
tribunal  or  ​any  other  authority  constituted  under  any  law  for  the  time  being in force to exercise ​judicial 
or quasi-judicial functions​; 

Legal  Service  -  S.  2  (1)  (c)  provides  that  '  Legal  Service  '  includes  the  rendering of ​any service in the 
conduct  of  any  case  or  other  legal  proceeding  before  any  court  or  other  authority  or  tribunal  and  the 
giving of advice​ on any legal matter; 

IV. SALIENT FEATURES OF THE ACT 

A. National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) 

1. Composition  -  ​Section  3  of  the  Act  provides  that  the  ​Central  Government  shall  constitute  a 
body to be called the National Legal Services Authority. It shall consist of -  
● The Chief Justice of India (Patron-in-Chief);  
● A  serving  or  retired  Judge  of  the  Supreme  Court  to  be  nominated  by  the  President, 
in  consultation  with  the Chief Justice of India, who shall be the Executive Chairman, 
and  
● Such  number  of  other  members,  to  be  nominated  by  the  Central  govt.  in 
consultation with the Chief Justice of India.  

All  orders  and  decisions  of  the  Central  Authority shall be authenticated by the Member Secretary or 

any other officer of the Central Authority duly authorized by the Executive Chairman.  

2. Functions  -  ​Section  4  prescribes  the  functions  which  are  to  be performed by NALSA, some 

of which are as follows :- 
● Lay down effective and economical policies for making legal services available. 
● Make  appropriate  allocations  of  funds  to  the  State  Authorities  and  District 
Authorities. 
● Take  necessary  steps  by  way  of  social justice litigation with regard to special concern 
to the weaker sections of the society . 
● Give training to social workers in legal skills. 
● Organize  legal  aid  camps  with  the  purpose  of  educating  the  weaker  sections  of  the 
society as to their rights.  
● Encouraging  the  settlement  of  disputes  through  Lok  Adalats,  Negotiations, 
Arbitration and Conciliation.  
● Coordinate  and  monitor  the  functioning  of  State  Authorities,  District  Authorities, 
Supreme  Court  Legal  Services  Committee,  High  Court  Legal  Services  Committees, 
Taluk Legal Services Committees etc.  

B. Hierarchy of Bodies under the Act 

A  nationwide  network  has  been  envisaged  under  the  Act  for  providing legal aid and assistance. The 
following table may be referred to :- 

Sr. No.  Level  Authority 

1.  National  NALSA 
2.   State  State Legal Services Authority (To give effect to the policies and 
directions of NALSA) 
3.   District  District Legal Services Authority (To implement legal aid 
schemes in Districts) 
4.   Taluka or Mandal  Taluka Legal Services Committee (To coordinate the activities of 
legal services for each Taluka or Mandal)  
 

Section 6 - Constitution of State Legal Services Authority (Headed by the Chief Justice of the State 
High Court, who is also the Patron in chief) 

Section 7 - Functions of State Authority 

Section 8 - State authority to act in coordination and under the direction of NALSA 

Section 8A - High Court Legal Services Committee. 

Section 9 - Constitution of District Legal Services Authority (District Judge of the District is the 
ex-officio Chairman) 

Section 10 - Functions of State Authority 

Section 11 - District authority to act in coordination and under the direction of NALSA 

Section 11A & 11B - Deals with the composition of Taluka Legal Services Committee and their 
functions respectively. (Headed by Senior Civil Judge of the Area, ex-officio chairman) 

C. Entitlement to Legal Services 

1. Criteria for giving legal services - ​A person is entitled to seek legal services under this Act 
if he/she is :- Personswho are entitled to legal aid
● A Member of a SC/ST 
● A  victim  of  trafficking  in  human  beings  or  begar  as  referred  to  in  Article  23  of  the 
Constitution;  
● A woman or a child;  
● A  person  with  disability.  Disability  means  -  (i)  Blindness  (ii)  Low  vision  (iii)  Mental 
illness etc.  
● A  person  under  circumstances  of  undeserved  want  such  as  being  a  victim  of a mass 
disaster, ethnic violence, flood, drought etc. or  
● An industrial workman; or 
 ● In  custody,  including  custody  in  a  protective  home  or  in  a  juvenile  home  or  in  a 
psychiatric hospital or psychiatric nursing home; or 

2 lakh ● In  receipt  of  annual  income  ​less  than  rupees  nine  thousand  or  such other higher amount 
as  may  be  prescribed  by  the  State  Government,  if  the  case  is  before  a  court  other 
2 1 5LakhSUSA than  the  Supreme  Court,  and  ​less  than  rupees  twelve  thousand  or  such  other  higher 
amount  as  may  be  prescribed  by  the  Central  Government,  if  the  case  is  before  the 
Supreme Court. 
2. Entitlement  to  Legal  Services  -  ​Section  13  provides  that  persons  who  satisfy  all  or  any  of 
the  criteria  shall  be  entitled to receive legal services provided that the concerned Authority is 
satisfied that such person has a prima-facie case to prosecute or to defend.  

D. Lok Adalats 

1. Organization  of  Lok  Adalats  -  ​Section  19  provides  that  the  Central,  State,  District  legal 
services  authority  and  the  Taluka  legal  committees  are  responsible  for  organizing  Lok 
Adalats  at  such  intervals  and  places.  The  conciliators  of  Lok  Adalats  shall  comprise  of 
following :- 
● A sitting or retired judicial officer or 
● Other  persons  of  repute  as  may  be  prescribed  by  the  State  govt.  or  Central  govt.  in 
consultation with the Chief Justice of the High Court or India, as the case may be.  

Jurisdiction  of  Lok  Adalat  -  A  Lok  Adalat  has  the  jurisdiction  to  determine  and  to  arrive  at  a 
compromise or settlement between the parties to a dispute in respect of -  

● Any case pending before; or  

● Any  matter  which  is  falling  within  the  jurisdiction  of,  and  is  not  brought  before,  any  Court 
for which the Lok Adalat is organized:  

Provided  that  the  Lok  Adalat  shall  have  no  jurisdiction  in  respect  of  any case relating to an offence 
which is not compoundable under any law. 

2. Reference  of  Cases  -  ​Section  20  provides  that  cases  can  be  referred  to  Lok  Adalat  by  the 
following method :- 
● Consent of parties to dispute 
● One party makes an application for reference 
● Where  the  court  is  satisfied  that  the  matter  is  an  appropriate  one  to  be  taken 
cognizance by Lok Adalat. 
● Compromise settlement shall be guided by principles of justice, equity, fair play etc. 
● If no compromise takes place, the matter shall be reverted to the original court. 
3. Award of Lok Adalat - ​Section 21​ envisages as under :- 
● Award of Lok Adalat shall be deemed as civil decree 
● It shall be final and binding on the parties 
● No appeal shall lie from the award of the Lok Adalat. 
 4. Powers  of  Lok  Adalat  -  ​Section  22  ​provides  that  the  proceedings  of  Lok  Adalat  shall  be 
deemed to be judicial proceedings for the purpose of :- 
● Summoning of Witnesses 
● Discovery of Documents 
● Reception of evidences 
● Requisitioning of public record 
5. Post-amendment  2002  -  ​There  were  certain  defects  in  the  functioning  of  the  Lok  Adalats 
which necessitated this amendment. Following are the salient features of the amendment :- 
● Provides for establishment of Permanent Lok Adalats 
● Pecuniary Jurisdiction of Lok Adalat up to Rs. 10 Lakh. 
● Before  dispute  is  brought  to  the  court,  a  party  may  make  direct  application  to  Lok 
Adalat. 

The  first  Lok  Adalat  was  held  on  March  14,  1982  in  Junagarh,  Gujarat.  Lok  Adalats  have  been 
successful in settlement of motor accident cases, labour disputes, family disputes.  

V. JUDICIAL VOICE 

Indian  Judiciary  has  made  a  dynamic  interpretation  of  the  provisions the Act to enlarge and expand 

the concept of legal aid. 

1. In  ​Kishore  Chand  v.  State  of  Himachal  Pradesh​.,  -  It  is  high  time  that  senior  counsel 
practicing  in  the  Court  concerned  volunteer  to  defend  such  indigent  accused  as  a  part  of 
their professional duty or else Art 39-A would be quietly ineffective.  
2. In  ​RD.  Patadia  v.  State  of  Gujarat.,  -  It  was  the  duty  of  members  of  Bar  and  Benches  to 
make  litigants  of  this  class  (like  woman,  etc)  be  made  known  of  their  legal  right  under  the 
Legal Services Authorities Act. 
3. The  apex  court  held  that  only  a sitting Judge of the High Court concerned can be appointed 
Chairman  of  the  State  Legal  Services  Authority  (SLSA).  It  said  that  appointment  of  retired 
judge at this position falls foul of the desired legislative effect.  

VI. CONCLUSION 

This  Act  has  truly  and  justifiably,  acted  as  the  watchdog  of  our  benevolent  system  of  dispensing 
Legal  and  Social  Justice  as  well  as  protector  of the poor, deprived and downtrodden sections of our 
society.  Nevertheless,  there  are  certain  loopholes  and  to  get  rid  of  the  same,  the  following  points 
shall be considered :- 

1. Review of working of Legal Aid system 

2. Review of ADR system 
3. Up gradation of judicial infrastructure, computerization etc. 
4. Up gradation of judicial manpower.  
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FUNDAMENTALREASONSN

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lack
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OBJECTIVESJ
organise Lok Adalats
constitute legal services Authority
secure justice

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COMPOSITION
India patron in chief
chiefjustice of
retired or serving judge
Other members
Euecuiture members
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FUNCTIONS
Funds coordination monitoring
Policies
training
justicelitigation
social
camps Education
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Functioning of authorities
 Milo RETIES
NALSA
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District Legal
Taluka legal services authority

WHOISENTITUEDLEGALSERVICLES
scheduled caste tribes
woman Child
persons with Disability

Inman Trafficking
Industrial Workman
victims of Natural Disaster
custody
1.5lakhs in case of SupremeCourt
LSA
81 lakh or

LORADALAT
COMPOSITION
officers
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other members
JURISDICTION
For pending
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REFERENT E
By consent ofparties
By application
court order
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Documents
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