History

INTRODUCTION

The Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 was enacted by the Parliament to give effect to Article 39 A of the Constitution of India which guarantees free and competent legal services to the weaker sections of the society to ensure that they are not denied access to justice by reason of economic or other disability. As provided under Section 6 of the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, the Government of Meghalaya has set up the Meghalaya State Legal Services Authority(MSLSA) in July 1998. In line with this, the Meghalaya State Legal Services Authority Rules, 1998 and the Meghalaya State Legal Services Authority Regulations, 2000 were framed. The office of the MSLSA is presently housed in the building of the Additional Secretariat, Shillong below the MATI building. The Member Secretary and other officers and staff functions under the direct supervision and guidance of the Hon'ble Executive Chairman, to fulfill an onerous duty to ensure that the legal aid programmes and schemes are implemented in its letter and spirit through the State. In order to ensure that the objectives of the Act are translated into reality, and that the constitutional guarantees are fulfilled to the people of the State, the MSLSA have devised a comprehensive legal services programme in the form of the State Action Plan. Efforts have been made when framing the programmes/activities to ensure that they adapt to local situations so that they can effectively address the problems faced by the people in the State and at the same time to be in consonance with the National Plan of Action. It is expected that these activities will be carried out in letter and spirit and that the benefits actually reach the targeted sections of society leading us towards the goal of "Access to Justice for All".