The Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 has been enforced and the following persons are entitled to free legal aid for filing or defending a case in any court of law.

1. A member of a Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe.
2. A victim of trafficking in human beings or beggar.
3. A woman or a child.
4. A mentally ill or otherwise disabled person.
5. A victim of mass disaster, ethnic violence, caste atrocity, flood, drought, earthquake or industrial disaster.
6. An industrial workman.
7. A person in custody, including in a Protective Home, Juvenile Home, Psychiatric Hospital or Nursing Home.
8. A person whose annual income from all sources does not exceed Rupees Fifty Thousand (Rs. 50,000/-).

Modes of Legal Services

1. Payment of court fee, process fee, witness expenses, preparation of paper book, lawyer fee and other legal proceeding charges.
2. Representation by a legal practitioner in legal proceedings.
3. Supply of certified copies of judgments, order notes, evidence and other legal documents.
4. Preparation of appeal and paper book, including printing, typing and translation of documents.
5. Drafting of legal documents.
6. Legal advice on any legal matter.
7. Support through Mediation Centers or Family Counseling Centers.

At the District Headquarters, free legal aid is under the control of the Principal District Judge, while at the Tehsil level it is under the control of the concerned Munsiff.

Cases Where Legal Aid Is Not Ordinarily Given

1. Proceedings wholly or partly in respect of:
   • Defamation
   • Malicious prosecution
   • Contempt of court proceedings
2. Proceedings in relation to elections.
3. Proceedings incidental to the categories above.
4. Proceedings in respect of economic offences and offences against social laws.

The Chairman may, in appropriate cases, grant legal aid in such proceedings for reasons recorded in writing.

Information Regarding Legal Aid Beneficiaries / Awareness Camps

For the Year 2008

1. Legal Aid applications received: 24
2. Beneficiaries benefited during calendar year 2008: 03 (SC: 1, Women: 2)
3. Legal Awareness camps held in 2008: 1

For the Year 2009

1. Legal Aid applications received (January 2009 to March 2009): 28
2. Beneficiaries benefited during calendar year 2009: 11 (Women: 10, General: 1)
3. Legal Awareness camps held in 2009: Nil