In India, Legal Services Authorities provide free legal services to which of the following type of citizens ?
- Person with an annual income of less than ₹ 1,00,000
- Transgender with an annual income of less than ₹ 2,00,000
- Member of Other Backward Classes (OBC) with an annual income of less than ₹ 3,00,000
- All Senior Citizens
Select the correct answer using the code given below :
1 and 2 only
3 and 4 only
2 and 3 only
1 and 4 only
Answer is Right!
Answer is Wrong!
This question was previously asked in
UPSC IAS – 2020
Legal Services Authorities in India provide free legal services to persons with an annual income of less than ₹1,00,000 and transgender persons with an annual income of less than ₹2,00,000, among other eligible categories.
The Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 aims to provide free and competent legal services to eligible persons. Eligible categories specified under the Act and subsequent rules/amendments include persons belonging to Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes, victims of trafficking or begar, women and children, persons with disabilities, persons in custody, industrial workmen, victims of mass disaster, violence, etc., senior citizens, transgender persons, and persons with an annual income below a prescribed limit. The income limit varies from state to state and is revised periodically; ₹1,00,000 per annum is a plausible limit for the general category in some states. Transgender persons are a specific category, and eligibility often includes an income threshold; ₹2,00,000 is a plausible limit in some states. OBC status alone is not a criterion for free legal aid, although an OBC person could be eligible based on income or other criteria (woman, senior citizen, etc.). While Senior Citizens are an eligible category, the statement “All Senior Citizens” is incorrect as income limits may apply in some states, although often set higher than the general category or exempted for very elderly citizens. Based on the specific statements and typical eligibility criteria, statements 1 and 2 describe plausible eligible categories, while 3 (OBC based) and 4 (“All Senior Citizens” implying no income test) are generally incorrect as presented.