District Legal Service Authority

DISTRICT LEGAL SERVICE

Article 39A of the Constitution of India speaks for Equal Justice and Free Legal Aid. It states that “The State shall secure that the operation of the legal system promotes justice, on a 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 any citizen by reason of economic or other disabilities.”

To fulfill this mandate of Article 39-A of the Constitution and establishing a nation-wide network for providing free and comprehensive legal services to the weaker sections of the society and also to secure and promote the philosophy of justice to all, the Legal Services Authorities Act was enacted in the year 1987. To make policy and implement the motto of “Access to Justice for All”, the National Legal Services Authority, Supreme Court Legal Services Committee, State Legal Services Authority, High Court Legal Services Committee, District Legal Services Authority and Tehsil Legal Services Committee have been established.

Presently followings are the members/ office bearers of the District Legal Services Authority, Dehradun:

A-

1. District Judge- Ex Officio Chairman.
2. Secretary, Judicial Officer of Senior Civil Judge Cadre.

B- Other Ex Officio members :

1. District Magistrete;
2. Senior Superintendent of Police /Superintendent of Police;
3. Chief Judicial Magistrate;
4. District Government Counsel (Civil);
5. District Government Counsel (Criminal);
6. District Government Counsel (Revenue);
7. President of the Bar Association.

Main functions of the District Legal Service Authority, Dehradun:

The main functions of the District Legal Service Authority (DLSA), Dehradun are as follows:

• Provides free and competent legal aid to eligible persons.
• Organises regular Lok Adalats/Jail Lok Adalats every month for pending cases as well as special Lok Adalats for special categories of cases.
• Also organises National Lok Adalats as per the directions of National Legal Services Authority and Uttarakhand State Legal Services Authority, Nainital.
• Undertakes responsibilities of pre-litigation dispute resolution through conciliation mechanism.
• Spreads Legal Awareness among the public at large, targeting particularly the beneficiaries of social legislations and on various other issues of legal importance.
• Special endeavour is made for rendering free legal aid to under trial prisoners whose cases are pending in courts.
• Also Organises Legal Literacy Camps in colleges, jails and other places .
• Provides free and competent legal aid to eligible persons through Legal Aid Defence Counsel System.
• Conducts Mediation proceedings between parties through mediators at mediation Centre.
• Determines the amount of compensation to be given to the victims as per the provisions of Victim Compensation Schemes of 2013 and 2020.