Last updated: February 26th, 2021 11:35 AM

Free Legal Service - National Legal Services Authority

Free legal service and aid are offered through various schemes and organizations to help the weak, poor, and marginalized with legal matters. In this article, we review the National Legal Services Authority, which provides free legal services for weaker sections of the society. The legal services offered by the National Legal Services Authority range from the lowest Court to the Supreme Court of India.

National Legal Services Authority

National Legal Services Authority provides legal services, including free legal aid to weaker sections of the society. In addition to providing specific legal aid, the National Legal Services Authority also helps create legal awareness. It spreads legal literacy through legal awareness camps, print media, digital media, and organizing Lok Adalats.

Free Legal Service and Aid

National Legal Services Authority provides free legal service and aid. The National Legal Services Authority can provide free legal services and aid in civil and criminal matters for poor and marginalized people who cannot afford the services of a lawyer. Some of the services and legal aid provided by the National Legal Services Authority include:

• Representation by an Advocate in legal proceedings.
• Payment of process fees, expenses of witnesses and all other charges payable or incurred in connection with any legal proceedings in appropriate cases;
• Preparation of pleadings, memo of appeal, a paper book including printing and translation of documents in legal proceedings;
• Drafting of legal documents, a special leave petition, etc.
• Supply of certified copies of judgments, orders, notes of evidence, and other documents in legal proceedings.

There will be no expense for the applicant. The legal service institutions bear all process Fees, drafting Fees, typing Fees, clerk as well as fees of panel lawyers.

Eligibility Criteria

Persons who fall under any of the following categories can avail free legal aid through the National Legal Services Authority:

• Member of a Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe;
• Victim of trafficking in human beings or beggars
• Women
• Children
• Disabled Persons
• Victim of a mass disaster, ethnic violence, caste atrocity, flood, drought, earthquake or industrial disaster
• Industrial workmen
• Persons in custody
• Persons 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 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.

Applying for Free Legal Service or Aid

A person who needs free legal service or aid can approach the concerned authority or committee. Based on the jurisdiction, the following are the concerned authorities:

• Taluk Legal Services Committee which is in the premises of the Court in that Taluk
• District Legal Services Authority which is in the premises of the District Court in the District Headquarters
• State Legal Services Committee
• The High Court Legal Services Committee which is in the premises of the concerned High Court
• The Supreme Court Legal Services Committee for cases before the Hon’ble Supreme Court.

Application for legal services can be made through an application by sending a mail or by submitting the relevant forms or orally to a concerned authority or online. (Click here to apply online)

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