The Act set up a nationwide network to provide free and competent legal services to weaker sections and to organise Lok Adalats. It came into force on 9 November 1995, the date now observed every year as National Legal Services Day.
9 November: National Legal Services Day.
Implements Article 39A.
Quick check: National Legal Services Day, 9 November, marks the coming into force of:
The Advocates Act, 1961
The Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987
Article 39A
The Right to Information Act
Answer: B.
1995
National Legal Services Authority (NALSA)
The apex legal aid body
NALSA was constituted on 5 December 1995 under the Legal Services Authorities Act. The Chief Justice of India is its Patron-in-Chief, and the second senior-most judge of the Supreme Court is its Executive Chairman. It works through State Legal Services Authorities (headed by the High Court Chief Justice as Patron-in-Chief), District Legal Services Authorities (chaired by the District Judge), Taluk Legal Services Committees and the Supreme Court Legal Services Committee.
Patron-in-Chief: the Chief Justice of India.
Executive Chairman: the second senior-most Supreme Court judge.
Quick check: Who is the Executive Chairman of NALSA?
The Union Law Minister
The Chief Justice of India
The second senior-most judge of the Supreme Court
The Attorney General
Answer: C.
Section 12
Who Is Entitled to Free Legal Aid?
Eligibility
Section 12 of the Legal Services Authorities Act entitles the following to free legal services: members of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes; victims of trafficking or begar; women and children; persons with disabilities; victims of mass disaster, ethnic violence, caste atrocity, flood, drought, earthquake or industrial disaster; industrial workmen; persons in custody; and persons whose annual income is below the prescribed limit.
Every woman and every child is entitled, whatever their income.
Quick check: Under the Legal Services Authorities Act, which of these is entitled to free legal aid regardless of income?
A company
A registered partnership firm
A government employee
A woman
Answer: D.
1978–1981
Legal Aid as a Fundamental Right
M.H. Hoskot and Khatri
In M.H. Hoskot v. State of Maharashtra (1978) the Supreme Court held that free legal aid for a prisoner who cannot afford a lawyer is part of the fair procedure guaranteed by Article 21. In Khatri v. State of Bihar (1981), arising from the Bhagalpur blindings, it held that magistrates must inform an accused person of the right to free legal aid, and that failure to provide it could vitiate the trial.
Khatri arose from the Bhagalpur blindings of undertrials by police.
Quick check: The Supreme Court's ruling that magistrates must tell accused persons of their right to legal aid came in a case arising from the:
Bhagalpur blindings
Bhopal gas leak
Maruti strike
Asiad construction site
Answer: A.
1979
Hussainara Khatoon v. State of Bihar
The first PIL
Based on newspaper reports by Kapila Hingorani and others about thousands of undertrials held in Bihar's jails for longer than the maximum sentence for their offences, the Supreme Court held that the right to a speedy trial is part of Article 21 and ordered their release. Some 40,000 undertrials were eventually freed. It is regarded as the first public interest litigation in India, and Kapila Hingorani as the "mother of PIL".
Right to speedy trial recognised under Article 21.
Kapila Hingorani is called the "mother of PIL".
Quick check: Who is known as the "mother of PIL" in India?
Kapila Hingorani
Vrinda Grover
Medha Patkar
Indira Jaising
Answer: A.
18 more entries under this heading
Epistolary Jurisdiction · Letters as writ petitions
Bandhua Mukti Morcha v. Union of India · Bonded labour and the quarries
Taming Frivolous PILs · State of Uttaranchal v. Balwant Singh Chaufal
Suo Motu Cases · The court acts on its own
The e-Courts Project · Digitising the courts
National Judicial Data Grid · Pendency in real time
Tele-Law and Nyaya Bandhu · Legal advice by video
Legal Aid Defense Counsel System · Public defenders for India
The Mediation Act, 2023 · India's first mediation law
Releasing Long-Held Undertrials · Half the maximum sentence
Plea Bargaining · Chapter XXIA of the CrPC
Legal Aid Clinics in Law Schools · Clinical legal education
Fast Track Courts · Set up on the Eleventh Finance Commission's recommendation
Fast Track Special Courts for Rape and POCSO · Dedicated courts for sexual offences
Release of Undertrials after Half the Maximum Sentence · Section 436A CrPC (now Section 479 BNSS)
Virtual Courts for Traffic Challans · Online adjudication of traffic offences
National Mission for Justice Delivery and Legal Reforms · A plan to reduce delays and improve access
Jail Adalats · Lok Adalats held inside prisons
PlusAll 23 entries, and every heading in the LibraryYours from ₹1,499, till CLAT 2028See Plus
