1. Short title, extent and commencement.—

(1) This Act may be called the Legal Services Authorities  Act, 1987.  

(2) It extends to the whole of India, 1***.  

(3) It shall come into force on such date2 as the Central Government may, by notification, appoint;  and different dates may be appointed for different provisions of this Act and for different States, and any  reference to commencement in any provision of this Act in relation to any State shall be construed as a  reference to the commencement of that provision in that State.  

1. The words “except the State of Jammu and Kashmir” omitted by Act 34 of 2019, s. 95 and the Fifth Schedule (w.e.f. 31-10- 2019).

2. 9th November, 1995, vide notification No. S.O. 893(E), dated 9th November, 1995, see Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, sec. 3(ii).

2. Definitions.—

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—  

3[(a) “case” includes a suit or any proceeding before a court;  

(aa) “Central Authority” means the National Legal Services Authority constituted under section3;  

(aaa) “court” means a civil, criminal or revenue court and includes any tribunal or any other  authority constituted under any law for the time being in force, to exercise judicial or quasi-judicial  functions;]  

(b) “District Authority” means a District Legal Services Authorityconstituted under section9;  4[(bb) “High Court Legal Services Committee” means a High Court Legal Services Committee  constituted under section8A;]  

(c) “legal service” includes the rendering of 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;  

(d)“Lok Adalat” means a Lok Adalat organised under Chapter VI;  

(e) “notification” means a notification published in the Official Gazette;  

(f) “prescribed” means prescribed by rules made under this Act;  

3[(ff) “regulations” means regulations made under this Act;]  

(g) “scheme” means any scheme framed by the Central Authority, a State Authority or a District  Authority for the purpose of giving effect to any of the provisions of this Act;  

(h) “State Authority” means a State Legal Services Authority constituted under section6;  

(i) “State Government” includes the administrator of a Union territory appointed by the President  under article 239 of the Constitution;  

1[(j) “Supreme Court Legal Services Committee” means the Supreme Court Legal Services  Committee constituted under section3A;  

(k) “Taluk Legal Services Committee” means a Taluk Legal Services Committee constituted  under section11A.]  

(2) Any reference in this Act to any other enactment or any provision thereof shall, in relation to an  area in which such enactment or provision is not in force, be construed as a reference to the corresponding  law or the relevant provision of the corresponding law, if any, in force in that area.  

3. Subs. by Act 59 of 1994, s. 2, for clause (a) (w.e.f. 29-10-1994).

4. Ins. by s. 2, ibid. (w.e.f. 29-10-1994).

1. Ins. by Act 59 of 1994, s. 2 (w.e.f. 29-10-1994).