F.A.Q.
FAQ’s
Arunachal Pradesh State Legal Services Authority has been constituted under “The Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987” as amended by Legal Services Authorities (Amendment) Act, 2002, to provide free and competent legal service to the weaker sections of the society to ensure that opportunities for securing justice are not denied to any citizen.
1. What are Legal Services ?
What is free legal Aid?
OR
– When a person has to defend his rights in a case which has been filed against him in a court of law.
OR
– When a person has to apply to an office for getting the facility provided by any law or if some one has submitted an application against him he has to defend himself.
Providing him free legal advice and also an advocate is appointed at the cost of the Legal Services Authority to defend his right / to get him his right. The Authority also bears court fee, typing charges, verification of the copies is known as FREE LEGAL AID.
Who is entitled for free legal aid?
* A victim of trafficking in human being or beggar as referred to in Article 23 of the constitution;
* A woman or a child;
* A mentally ill or otherwise disabled person i.e. a person with physical or any other kind of disability;
* An industrial workman;
* A person in custody including protective home, juvenile home, psychiatric hospital or psychiatric nursing home;
* A person having annual income of not exceeding one lakh.
How and whom to apply for legal services
Eligible person may visit Legal Aid Clinics or apply to the Member Secretary, Arunachal Pradesh State Legal Services Authority/Chairman/Secretary of District Legal Services Authority stating brief facts of the case and copies of relevant documents, if any. District & Sessions Judge/Additional District & Sessions Judge are the Chairperson and Chief Judicial Magistrate/Judicial Magistrate First Class are the Secretaries of their respective District Legal Services Authority.
What to do if I need legal aid?
A person who needs free legal aid/advice can approach the concerned authority or committee through an application which could be made by sending a mail/letter in written form, or by filling up the forms prepared by the said authority stating in brief the reason for seeking legal aid or can be made orally in which case an officer of the concerned legal services authority or a paralegal volunteer can assist the person. A person can also seek legal aid by applying online through the online application process as provided on the official website of NALSA.
Is there any other Information that I need to furnish along with my application?
Is there a fee or charge for obtaining an Application Form for Legal Aid?
For obtaining legal advices, you can call or visit the office of the concerned Legal Services Authority.
What if the person in need of Legal Aid is illiterate?
Such persons can be assisted by the SLSAs/DLSAs/TLSCs or panel Advocates etc.The Para Legal Volunteers (PLVs) who are stationed in the villages can also gather necessary information of such applicants and fill up the forms for them. The applicant is required to affix signature initials or thumb impression on the same.
Do you have to incur expenses at any stage?
No, expenseslike Process Fees, Drafting Fees, Typing Fees, Clerkage as well as Fees of panel lawyers is borne by the legal service institutions.
Whom can I approach if i want to appeal against the Denial of Legal Services to me?
An appeal can be made to the Chairman of the concerned Authority/Committee on denial of grant of legal services within a reasonable time.
Does APSLSA only provide Legal Aid?
No, APSLSA also spreads legal literacy and awareness by
a) conducting legal awareness camps in rural as well as urban areas;
b) through print media like newspapers, preparing and publishing legal-aid literature;
c) arranging workshops on legal topics for various functionaries of the legal systems such as lawyers, students, Non-Governmental organizations and Government agencies,
d) carrying out field surveys,
e) creating awareness about the law of the land amongst general public by utilizing digital mass media like Radio, Television, Internet, social media and the like etc.
APSLSA also facilitates the beneficiaries of various government schemes, policies to avail the benefits.