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The Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987

Central

An Act 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 organise Lok Adalats to secure that the operation of the legal system promotes justice on a basis of equal opportunity.

Act number
39 of 1987
Ministry
Ministry of Law and Justice
Department
Department of Justice
Enacted
11 Oct 1987

Source: IndiaCode Portal, Legislative Department, Ministry of Law and Justice, Government of India. Open on India Code Check against the official text before relying on it.

40 sections

  1. Section 1Short title, extent and commencement.
  2. Section 2Definitions.
  3. Section 3Constitution of the National Legal Services Authority.
  4. Section 3ASupreme Court Legal Services Committee.
  5. Section 4Functions of the Central Authority.
  6. Section 5Central Authority to work in coordination with other agencies.
  7. Section 6Constitution of State Legal Services Authority.
  8. Section 7Functions of the State Authority.
  9. Section 8State Authority to act in coordination with other agencies, etc., and be subject to directions given by the Central Authority.
  10. Section 8AHigh Court Legal Services Committee.
  11. Section 9District Legal Services Authority.
  12. Section 10Functions of the District Authority.
  13. Section 11District Authority to act in coordination with other agencies and be subject to directions given by the Central Authority, etc.
  14. Section 11ATaluk Legal Services Committee.
  15. Section 11BFunctions of Taluk Legal Services Committee.
  16. Section 12Criteria for giving legal services.
  17. Section 13Entitlement of legal services.
  18. Section 14Grants by the Central Government.
  19. Section 15National Legal Aid Fund.
  20. Section 16State Legal Aid Fund.
  21. Section 17District Legal Aid Fund.
  22. Section 18Accounts and audit.
  23. Section 19Organisation of Lok Adalats.
  24. Section 20Cognizance of cases by Lok Adalats.
  25. Section 21Award of Lok Adalat.
  26. Section 22Powers of Lok Adalat or Permanent Lok Adalat.
  27. Section 22ADefinitions.
  28. Section 22BEstablishment of Permanent Lok Adalats.
  29. Section 22CCognizance of cases by Permanent Lok Adalat.
  30. Section 22DProcedure of Permanent Lok Adalat.
  31. Section 22EAward of Permanent Lok Adalat to be final.
  32. Section 23Members and staff of Authorities, Committees and Lok Adalats to be public servants.
  33. Section 24Protection of action taken in good faith.
  34. Section 25Act to have overriding effect.
  35. Section 26Power to remove difficulties.
  36. Section 27Power of Central Government to make rules.
  37. Section 28Power of State Government to make rules.
  38. Section 29Power of Central Authority to make regulations.
  39. Section 29APower of State Authority to make regulations.
  40. Section 30Laying of rules and regulations