The Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, is an Act of the Indian Parliament that constitutes a framework for providing free and competent legal services to the weaker sections of society. It was enacted on October 11, 1987, but the nationwide network came into force on November 9, 1995. The Act's primary purpose is to give effect to the Directive Principle of State Policy in Article 39A of the Constitution, which mandates the State to ensure that the operation of the legal system promotes justice on a basis of equal opportunity, and that no citizen is denied access to justice due to economic or other disabilities.
The Act establishes a multi-tiered institutional structure, including the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) at the national level, State Legal Services Authorities (SLSAs), District Legal Services Authorities (DLSAs), and Taluk Legal Services Committees. NALSA, whose Patron-in-Chief is the Chief Justice of India, is the apex body responsible for implementing and monitoring legal aid programs.
A key mechanism of the Act is the organization of Lok Adalats (People's Courts) under Section 19 for the amicable settlement of disputes. An award made by a Lok Adalat is deemed a decree of a civil court and is final and binding, with no appeal lying against it. The Act was amended by the Legal Services Authorities (Amendment) Act, 2002, which inserted Chapter VIA to establish Permanent Lok Adalats under Section 22B. These Permanent Lok Adalats deal with disputes concerning public utility services at the pre-litigation stage, and their awards are also final. The Act connects directly to the fundamental rights of equality before the law and the right to life and personal liberty, as recognized by the Supreme Court in judgments like Hussainara Khatoon v. State of Bihar (1979), which established the right to free legal aid as an essential component of a fair trial.