• The Gujarat State Legal Services Authority under the aegis of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) has launched an immediate legal and psychological aid initiative following the Ahmedabad plane crash.

• The Gujarat authority launched an emergency response mechanism called ‘Plane crash legal support helpdesk’.

• This support system has been instituted to ensure accessible, immediate, and comprehensive assistance to the victims and their families. 

• A fully functional 24x7 helpdesk has been set up, providing continuous legal assistance and walk-in support, and is being manned by trained legal aid lawyers who are offering guidance on essential legal matters, including assistance with documentation, identity verification, and claims.

• The aid is aimed at strengthening on-ground support and qualified advocates have been deployed to offer direct legal counselling to the aggrieved families.

• These advocates are providing real-time legal advice and helping individuals navigate the procedural aspects of loss and recovery. 

• Recognising the emotional and psychological trauma resulting from the tragedy, dedicated trauma and grievance redressal support has also been made available.

What is NALSA?

• The National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) has been constituted under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, to provide free legal services to the weaker sections of the society and to organise Lok Adalats for amicable settlement of disputes.

• It was formed on November 9, 1995 and is headed by the Chief Justice of India as the patron-in-chief.

• It coordinates and monitors the functioning of the legal services institutions constituted across India for proper implementation of legal aid programmes. 

• According to Section 2(c) of the Act, “legal services” includes any service in the conduct of any case or other legal proceeding before any court or other authority or tribunal and the giving of advice on any legal matter. It includes free legal services in civil and criminal matters for those poor and marginalised people who cannot afford the services of a lawyer for the conduct of a case or a legal proceeding in any court, tribunal or authority.

• In every state, a State Legal Services Authority (SLSA) has been constituted to give effect to the policies and directions of NALSA and to give free legal services to the people and conduct Lok Adalats in the state. 

• The SLSA is headed by the Chief Justice of the respective High Court who is the patron-in-chief of SLSA.

• In every district, a District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) has been constituted to implement legal services programmes in the district. The DLSA is situated in the district courts complex in every district and chaired by the district judge of the respective district.

• The Supreme Court Legal Services Committee (SCLSC) has been constituted to administer and implement legal services related to the Supreme Court of India.

Functions of NALSA:

• NALSA lays down policies, principles, guidelines and frames effective and economical schemes for the State Legal Services Authorities to implement  legal services programmes throughout the country.

• Primarily, the State Legal Services Authorities, District Legal Services Authorities, Taluk Legal Services Committees, etc have been tasked to discharge the following functions:

i) To provide free and competent legal services to the eligible persons covered under Section 12 of the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987.

ii) To organise Lok Adalats for amicable settlement of disputes. 

iii) To organise legal awareness camps in the rural areas.

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