Context

As per the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), as many as 11,077 undertrials have been released from prisons nationwide as part of the mission to decongest jails following the COVID-19 pandemic.

About

• 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.
• Public awareness, equal opportunity and deliverable justice are the cornerstones on which the edifice of NALSA is based.
• The principal objective of NALSA is:
  • to provide free and competent legal services to the weaker sections of the society
  • to ensure that opportunities for securing justice are not denied to any citizen by reason of economic or other disabilities
  • to organize Lok Adalats for amicable settlement of disputes
• Apart from the abovementioned, functions of NALSA include spreading legal literacy and awareness, undertaking social justice litigations etc.
• NALSA works in close coordination with the various State Legal Services Authorities, District Legal Services Authorities and other agencies for a regular exchange of relevant information, monitoring and updating on the implementation and progress of the various schemes in vogue and fostering a strategic and coordinated approach to ensure smooth and streamlined functioning of the various agencies and stakeholders.

How the Constitution of India ensures ‘equality before law’?

• Towards fulfilling the Preambular promise of securing to all the citizens, Justice – social, economic and political, Article 39 A of the Constitution of India provides for free legal aid to the poor and weaker sections of the society, to promote justice on the basis of equal opportunity.
• Articles 14 and 22(1) of the Indian Constitution also make it obligatory for the State to ensure equality before law.
• In 1987, the Legal Services Authorities Act was enacted by the Indian Parliament, which came into force on 9th November, 1995.
• The Act was aimed to establish a nationwide uniform network for providing free and competent legal services to the weaker sections of the society.

Equality before law:  "Equality before law" means that among equals the law should be equal and should be equally administered, that like should be treated alike. The right to sue and be sued, to prosecute and be prosecuted for the same kind of action should be same for all the citizens of full age and understanding without distinction of race, religion, wealth, social status or political influence.