A Study on The Legal Services Authorities ACT, 1987

Abstract

The Indian government established CILAS, or the “Committee for Implementing Legal Aid Schemes”, on September 26, 1980. Prior to the passage of the “Legal Services Authorities Act” in 1987, this Committee, which was chaired by Justice P.N. Bhagwati, ensured that all legal assistance programs across the nation were uniformly supervised and executed. On November 9, 1995, the “Legal Services Authorities Act (LSA Act)” was put into action by the government of India, which was passed in 1987. In an effort to ensure that no person has financial or other barriers to justice, it aimed to establish Legal Services Authorities around the nation to provide low-income people access to competent and free legal assistance. The establishment of Lok Adalats as a substitute system to provide prompt and equitable justice for everyone was another primary goal. With its incorporation into “Part IV of the Constitution by the 42nd Amendment” of 1976, the LSA Act achieves the goals of Article 39A of the Constitution of India. Under Article 39A, the State is required to “secure that the operation of the legal system promotes justice, on the basis of equal opportunity, and shall, in particular, provide free legal aid, by suitable legislation or schemes or in any other way, to ensure that opportunities for securing justice are not denied to anyone by reason of economic or other disabilities.