Legal Services Authority Page

In discharge of its functions, the State Authority shall appropriately act in co-ordination with other governmental agencies, non-governmental voluntary social service institutions. Universities and other bodies engaged in the work of promoting the cause of legal services to the poor and shall also be guided by such directions as the Central Authority may give to it in writing.

Lok Adalat is conducted by High Court Legal Services Committee, District Legal Services Authorities and Taluk Legal Services Committees. A Lok Adalat consists of a serving or retired judicial officer and not more than 12 social workers, one of whom should be preferably a woman. The Lok Adalat has jurisdiction to determine and to arrive at a compromise or settlement in cases pending before the courts, and also in cases which had not reached the court. In the latter case request has to be made to the Chairman District Legal Services Authority or Taluk Legal Services Committee for taking appropriate actions. Only compoundable criminal cases can be settled before Lok Adalat. The award passed by the Lok Adalat shall be deemed to be a decree and can be executed before the court and no appeal shall lie against such an award.

• Establishment of special Lok Adalats for settlement of disputes pending in various Government Departments, Local Bodies and Public Undertakings.
• Establishment of Legal Aid Clinics and Legal Aid Centres in all the University Centres, Colleges and other selected Centres. 
  Constitution of Legal Aid Cells in every district for the purpose of dealing with the grievances of the detenues languishing in prison.
• Constitution of seperate Adalat for the settlement of disputes pending with woman's Commission in every district 
  Establishment of permanent and continuous Lok Adalats in the District Centre for the expeditious disposal of both pre-litigative and litigative cases
• Establishment of Counseling and Conciliation Centres in all the District Centres. The setting up of these centres at District level would not only enable the District Legal Services Authorities to motivate parties to arrive at negotiated settlements but also held them in ascertaining as to whether a person applying for legal aid has or not a prima facie case in his favour.

Financial Aids

State Authority shall establish a fund to be called State Legal Aid Fund and these shall be credited there to

• all sums of money paid to it or any grants made by the Central Authority for the purposes of the Act.
• any grants or donation that may be made to the State Authority by the State Government or by any person for the purposes of the Act.
• any other amount received by the State Authority under the orders of any court or
• from any other source.

Other Activities

Publication of Legal Literature for educating the common masses on important subjects like, Human Rights, Family Laws, Consumer Protection, Constitutional Rights, Rights of Woman and Children etc.

Rendering of legal service in the conduct of any case or other legal proceeding before any court or other Authority or Tribunal and giving of advice on any legal matter.

Application forms and Procedures

Two forms are prescribed as per Regulation Form No: 1: Any person desirous of receiving legal services may make an application in form No: 1 to the High Court Legal Services Committee, District Legal Services Authority or Taluk Legal Services Committee, as the case may be (specimen form is appended)

Two forms are prescribed as per Regulation Form No: 1: Any person desirous of receiving legal services may make an application in form No: 1 to the High Court Legal Services Committee, District Legal Services Authority or Taluk Legal Services Committee, as the case may be (specimen form is appended).

Laws

• Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 (Act 39 of 1987 (as amended by the Legal Services Authorities (Amendment) Act, 1994 (59 of 1994)
• Kerala State Legal Services Authorities Rules, 1998.
• Kerala State Legal Services Authority Regulations, 1998
• Kerala State Legal Services Authority (High Court Legal Services Committee) Regulations, 1990.
• Section 304 of Criminal Procedure Code-Legal Aid to accused at State expenses in certain cases.
• Order 33 Code of Civil Procedure deals with suits by indegent persons. Provisions intended to enable indegent person to institute suits without payment of court fees.

For more information: www.kelsa.nic.in