Role of legal services authorities in providing legal services a study with reference to the state of Haryana

Abstract

The legal aid system in India is one of the few systems, if not the only one, in the world which is manned by Judiciary. This research delves into various aspects of Court-based Legal Services and Legal Outreach Legal Services, focusing on its conceptualisation and implementation framework. It analyses the gamut of legal aid activities and identifies the gaps, and suggests solutions for plugging the same. The thesis highlights the expanding purview of the activities of Legal Services Authorities, and indicates an increase in the number of beneficiaries with a stronger focus on Legal Services outreach activities. It examines various tools of outreach, most of which emerged in the recent past only. It examines newly introduced legal aid programmes such as Legal assistance at pre-arrest, arrest and remand stages, Legal Empowerment Camps and the Legal Aid Defence Counsel system. As the legal aid activities have been examined with special reference to the State of Haryana, the data and strategies related to various legal aid activities about each of the districts of the State of Haryana were analysed as part of the research. Surveys were also conducted to identify the weak areas, and visits were made across the country to understand the implementation strategies of Legal aid programmes. The present research highlights gaps in the quality assurance mechanisms in court based legal services and the lack of a monitoring framework for basic units such as Front Offices and Legal Services Clinics. The research indicates the need for incremental expansion of the Legal aid defence counsel system and adopting an evidence-based approach in conceptualising and implementing legal Services Outreach programmes. This thesis examines the legal aid system holistically, while providing insights, particularly with regard to various aspects of court-based and outreach legal services programmes which shall be of interest to policymakers, legal Services Authorities, researchers and other stakeholders of legal aid. newline