Vanshika Tomar, Faculty of Law, University of Allahabad
Introduction
Legal aid for the protection of women's rights may be taken to mean free legal assistance to the women in any judicial proceedings before the Court, Tribunals or any authority. It intends to provide free legal assistance to the women who are not able to enforce the rights given to them by law. Justice P.N. Bhagwati has clearly stated that legal aid means providing an arrangement in the society which makes the machinery of administration of Justice easily accessible and in reach of those who have to resort to it for enforcement of rights given to them by law. Legal Aid implies giving free legal administrations to the women's who cannot afford the administrations of a legal advisor for the conduct of a case or a legal proceeding in any court, tribunal or before a specialist. Legal Aid is the strategy adopted to ensure that no one is deprived of professional counsel and help in view of absence of funds. Therefore, the main question is to provide a break even with justice to be made accessible to the women's and weaker section of society. In such manner, Justice P.N. Bhagwati rightly observed that:
“The legal aid means providing an arrangement in the society so that the missionary of administration of justice becomes easily accessible and is not out of reach of those who have to resort to it for enforcement of its given to them by law, the poor and illiterate should be able to approach the courts and their ignorance and poverty should not be an impediment in the way of their obtaining justice from the courts. Legal aid should be available to the poor and illiterate, who don't have access to courts. One need not be a litigant to seek aid by means of legal aid.”
