Question
39. In India, Legal Services Authorities provide free legal services to which of the following types of citizens?
1. Person with an annual income of less than₹ 1,00,000
2. Transgender with an annual income of less than ₹ 2,00,000
3. Member of Other Backward Classes (OBC) with an annual income of less than ₹ 3,00,000
4. All senior citizen
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
a. 1 and 2 only
b. 3 and 4 only
c. 2 and 3 only
d. 1 and 4 only
Answer: A
Detailed Explanation
- As per the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, following are entitled to free legal services:
- A member of a Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe;
- A victim of trafficking in human beings or beggar as referred to in Article 23 of the Constitution;
- A woman is entitled for free legal aid irrespective of her income or financial status;
- Child is eligible for free legal aid till the age of majority i.e. 18 years;
- A mentally ill or otherwise differently abled person;
- A person under circumstances of undeserved want such as being a victim of a mass disaster, ethnic violence, caste atrocity, flood, drought, earthquake or industrial disaster; or
- An industrial workman; or
- A person in receipt of annual income less than the amount mentioned in the following schedule (or any other higher amount as may be prescribed by the State Government), if the case is before a Court other than the Supreme Court, and less than Rs 5 Lakh, if the case is before the Supreme Court
- The Income Ceiling Limit prescribed u/S 12(h) of the Act for availing free legal services in different States. Senior Citizen – Senior citizens’ eligibility for free legal aid depends on the Rules framed by the respective State Governments in this regard. Hence option 4 is not correct.
- Low income (Annual income less than Rs. 1,00,000
- Transgender (Annual income less than Rs. 2 Lac) in Delhi
