|
PROFILE OF LEGAL SERVICES AUTHORITIES/COMMITTEES |
NATIONAL
LEVEL
Legal
Services Authorities Act, 1987 which came into force with effect
from 9.11.1995 throughout the country provides for Central Authority
at the national level which is called National Legal Services
Authority (hereinafter referred to as NALSA). Hon’ble the Chief
Justice of India is the Patron-in-Chief and another Hon’ble Judge of
the Supreme Court is the Executive Chairman whereas an officer
belonging to the Indian Judicial Service or the State Higher
Judicial Service is the Member Secretary thereof.
STATE LEVEL
1. BRIEF HISTORY
There are
twenty eight States and seven union territories comprising the Union
of India and each State as also each Union Territory has a separate
Legal Services Authority, constituted as such under the aforesaid
Act. Haryana is one such State of the Union of India and the
Haryana State Legal Services Authority (hereinafter referred to as ‘H.S.L.S.A’,
having its Head Office at Chandigarh is the successor body of
Haryana State Legal Services and Advice Committee which as governed
by the “Haryana State Grant of Free Legal Service and Advice to the
Poor Rules, 1982 ”(hereinafter referred to as the “Rules of 1982”).
Pursuant to implementation of the Legal Services Authorities Act,
1987 (hereinafter referred to as the "Act if 1987") with effect from
9.11.1995, the Haryana State Legal Services Authority Rules, 1996
(hereinafter referred to as the “HSLSA Rules of 1996”) read with the
Haryana Legal Services Authority (Transaction of Business and Other
Provisions) Regulations, 1998 (hereinafter referred to as “HSLSA
Regulations of 1998”) now govern the functioning of this Authority.
2.
H.S.L.S.A. consists of the following: -
-
Chief
Justice of High Court of Punjab and Haryana as the
Patron-in-Chief;
-
Executive
Chairman of the Haryana State Legal Services Authority;
-
The
Secretary in the Department of Administration of Justice,
Haryana;
-
The
Secretary in the Department of Finance, Haryana;
-
The
Secretary in the Department of Law and Legislative, Haryana;
-
The
Advocate General of the Haryana State;
-
The
Director General of Police of the State of Haryana;
-
The
Chairman, Bar Council of Haryana and Punjab;
-
The
Director, Public Relations Department, Haryana;
-
Chairman
of District Legal Services Authority, Gurgaon;
-
Chairman
of District Legal Services Authority, Rohtak;
-
Member
Secretary of the Haryana State Legal Services Authority.
2.
Besides the
above, HSLSA also has the following members who are nominated by the
Haryana Government in consultation with the Chief Justice of Punjab
and Haryana High Court:-
1. Chairperson, Haryana State Commission for Women;
2. Director, Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes
Department,
Haryana; and
3. Chairman, Department of Law, Kurukshetra University,
Kurukshetra.
3. LEGAL SERVICES
AUTHORITIES AT THE HIGH COURT LEVEL
At the High
Court level there exists an authority called the High Court Legal
Services Committee (hereinafter referred to as ‘HCLSC’). An
Hon’ble Judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court is the Chairman
and the Registrar General of Punjab and Haryana High Court is the
Secretary thereof.
4. LEGAL SERVICES
AUTHORITIES AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL
At the
district level there exists, in each of the twenty districts of the
State of Haryana, an authority called the District Legal Services
Authority (hereinafter referred to as ‘D.L.S.A.’). The
District and Sessions Judge/Senior Most Additional District and
Sessions Judge/Senior Most Judicial Officer (as the case may be) is
the Chairman whereas the Chief Judicial Magistrate/Additional Chief
Judicial Magistrate of every district is the Secretary thereof.
5. LEGAL SERVICES
AUTHORITIES AT THE SUB-DIVISIONAL LEVEL
Similarly, in
all the twenty one sub-divisions of the State of Haryana where
judicial courts are functioning, there exists an authority called
the Sub-Divisional Legal Services Committee (hereinafter referred to
as ‘S.D.L.S.C.’). The Senior Most Judicial Officer of the
Sub-Division is the Chairman thereof.
Any body can meet the Chairman, (District & Sessions Judge)/Secretary(Chief
Judicial Magistrate) of District Legal Services Authority/Chairman
(Senior Most Judicial Officer of Sub-Division) of Sub-Divisional
Legal Services Committee on every Wednesday from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
in his chamber for the work relating to legal services.
|