DLSA/TLSC

DISTRICT LEGAL SERVICES AUTHORITY, BAGALKOT

In the background of Article 39A of the Constitution of India, the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1997 came into effect with the main object to spread Legal Awareness amongst the public at large by conducting Legal Literacy Camps, Workshops and Seminars and also to settle the dispute amicably by way of ADR methods as well as extend the legal aid to the needy people .As per the Act, in India three authorities viz., National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), State Legal Services Authority (KSLSA), District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) as well as three committees viz., Supreme Court Legal Services Committee, High Court Legal Services Committee and Taluka Legal Services Committees are constituted to achieve the object.
The District Legal Services Authority, Bagalkot got its own independent building and now working in the Ground floor, Building, Court Complex, Bagalkot. District Legal Services Authority, Bagalkot consisting of Six Taluka Legal Services Committees i.e., Badami, Banahatti, Bilagi, Mudhol, Jamkhandi and Hungund. All these Legal Services Committees are working in respective talukas court complex buildings.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES:

The Legal Service Authority is creating legal awareness, legal aid and settlement of disputes through amicable settlement before Lok-adalath and Mediation are the main aims and functions of the Authority. Legal awareness programs are taken up for empowerment of legal knowledge to all the Citizens in general to the weaker sections of the society in particular. various activities are taken up to reach the vulnerable sections of the society such as SC/ST, Women & Children, Industrial Laborers etc.,
The Legal service Authority provides legal aid by way of providing services of able efficient services of Advocates, any person, who fulfills the criteria is entitled for the legal aid. The Legal Service Authority is functioning in the name of DLSA at District level and TLSA at Taluka levlel.

PERSONS ENTITLED TO FREE LEGAL AID:

• Persons belonging to Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe.
• Woman & Children.
• Factory workers.
• Victim of group clashes, violence, flood, drought, Earthquake, Industrial destruction etc.
• Victims of communal clashes.
• Persons suffering from mental or any other disability.
• Persons who are under the custody of protection home mental hospital etc.,
• Bonded labours and victims of human trafficking.
• All categories of persons whose Annual Income is below Rs. 3 Lakh.(Rs.3,00,000/-).
• All categories of persons whose Annual Income is below Rs. 3 lakhs are eligible for free legal aid in Apex Court (Supreme Court).

Apart from the Chairman and Member Secretary, District Legal Services Authority is consisting of the following members:-

1. The Deputy Commissioner of the District.
2. The Chief Executive Officer of the Zilla Panchayath.
3. The Superintendent of Police of the District.
4. The District Government Pleader.
5. The Assistant Director of Prosecution.
6. The President, District Bar Association.

Likewise, the Taluka Legal Services Committees are headed by Senior Civil Judges of respective talukas as Chairman and Civil Judge of respective talukas is the Secretary and consisting of other Statutory Members.

Chairman and Member Secretaries of various Taluk Legal Services Committee of Bagalkot. District