The first movement for legal aid seems to date back to 1851, when a regulation on legal aid for the needy was introduced in France. In Britain, the history of the state`s organized efforts to provide legal services to the poor and needy dates back to 1944, when Lord Chancellor Viscount Simon established the Rushcliffe Committee to inquire about legal advice to the poor in england and Wales and to make recommendations that seem desirable to ensure that those in need of legal advice: by the State. Since 1952, the Government of India has also dealt with the issue of legal assistance to the poor in various conferences of ministers of law and legal commissions. In 1960, the government developed guidelines for legal aid schemes. In several countries, legal aid schemes have been set up by legal aid committees, companies and legal services. In 1980, a committee was formed at the national level to oversee and oversee legal aid programs across the country under the chairmanship of the Honourable Justice P.N. Bhagwati, then a Judge of the Supreme Court of India. This committee became known as CILAS (Committee for the Implementation of Legal Aid Programs) and began monitoring legal aid activities across the country. The introduction of Lok Adalats added a new chapter to the country`s judicial system and managed to provide an additional forum for litigants to resolve their differences in a conciliatory manner. In 1987, the Legal Services Authorities Act was enacted to provide a legal basis for a uniform model for legal aid programs across the country.
This law was finally passed on 9 September. It was introduced in November 1995 after certain amendments were introduced by the Amending Act of 1994. The Honourable Justice R.N. Mishra, then Chief Justice of India, played a key role in enforcing the law. Taluk Legal Services Committees are also formed for each Taluk or Mandal or for Taluk or Mandal groups to coordinate legal services activities in Taluk and organize Lok Adalats. Each Taluk Legal Services Committee is chaired by a senior civilian judge acting within the committee`s jurisdiction and chairing it ex officio. Form –1 Claim for compensation under the Delhi Victims Compensation Scheme, 2015 for provisional/final release In accordance with the appeal of His Lordship, Dr Justice A.S. Anand, Chief Justice of India, at the first annual meeting, India`s 9th anniversary will take place. The month of November is celebrated annually by all legal services authorities under the name of „Legal Services Day“. NALSA publishes press releases in almost every major newspaper in the country in English, Hindi and regional languages to communicate to the public the main provisions of the Legal Services Act, the important legal aid delivery systems put in place by NALSA and the advantages of Lok Adalats so that people are aware of the facilities provided by legal services authorities across the country.
The state`s legal service agencies across the country organize Lok Adalats, legal literacy camps, and conduct a legal awareness campaign to raise awareness of their legal rights. His Lordship Hon. M. Justice B.N. Kirpal, a judge of the Supreme Court of India and Chairman of the Legal Services Committee of the Supreme Court, has long been associated with the mutual legal assistance movement. Under the direction and control of His Lordship, the Legal Services Committee of the Supreme Court provides legal aid to eligible individuals in a very effective and meaningful manner. As of 31.12.99, the Legal Services Committee of the Supreme Court has provided legal aid and assistance to 10,125 applicants. The „Legal Aid Advocate“ program designed and implemented by His Honour Dr. Justice A.S. Anand when His Lordship was the Executive President, NALSA has been well received across the country. In most magistrates` courts in the country, legal aid advice has been provided to provide immediate legal assistance to prisoners who are unable to hire their own lawyer. Any person who is required to file or defend a case is entitled to legal services under this Act if that person – (A) is a member of a planned caste or tribe; (B) victims of trafficking in human beings or begars within the meaning of article 23 of the Constitution; (C) a woman or child; (D) A person suffering from a mental illness or other disability; „Nyaya Deep“, the official bulletin of NALSA, promotes a healthy working relationship between the heads of the legal service throughout the country and is extremely useful for the exchange of views and ideas.
Statistical information on legal aid schemes and programmes is also included in this newsletter, which is printed quarterly. The editorials of the Honourable Justice R.C. Lahoti reflect the soul of „Nyaya Deep“ and measure the depth of the material it contains. These offer the reader a window that can evaluate the content and purpose of the articles at a glance. At the last Conference of Chief Justices in New Delhi, a resolution was passed stipulating that the service records of judicial officials should reflect their interest in legal aid programs and that all supreme courts should take steps to sensitize judicial officers to legal aid programs and programs. Once all judicial officers in the country are sufficiently aware of the relevance and importance of legal aid schemes, they themselves should begin to take care of the poor, backward and weak strata of society who are unable to hire their own lawyer and deal with their legal concerns. The Honourable Justice S.P. Bharucha, Executive Chairman of NALSA, stressed in his letter in „Nyaya Deep“ and during his keynote address at the meeting of the secretaries of the members at the NALSA Bureau on 19.2.2000 the need to improve the quality of legal aid provided by legal aid lawyers. His Lordship noted that millions of people in this country, living below the poverty line in tribal, backward and remote areas, are seeking help and support from the judicial authorities to resolve their legal problems. Very often, when they are involved in a legal dispute, they feel like they are fighting an unequal battle in which the party with better financial resources can get more competent legal counsel. His seigneury was of the opinion that these poor and weak parties should not feel that they were receiving comparatively inferior legal assistance.
His Lordship called on the legal services authorities to revise the mutual legal assistance committee`s compensation plan and to compress the committees so that panel lawyers receive more work and better remuneration from the legal services authorities, thereby encouraging them to provide effective legal assistance to those assisted. The Act provides for a national network for the provision of legal aid and legal assistance. The National Legal Services Authority is the supreme body responsible for establishing strategies and principles for the provision of legal services in accordance with the provisions of the law and for developing the most efficient and cost-effective systems for legal services. It also provides funds and grants to State judicial authorities and NGOs for the implementation of legal aid programmes and programmes. Training of paralegal volunteers and their participation in the reception offices of legal service institutions and legal aid clinics at the village level has begun.