Where do you need help?
Pick your State and District to see your nearest legal aid office.
Spotted a wrong number or address? Report it — directory accuracy is the product.
Am I entitled to free legal aid?
You are entitled — not merely allowed to ask — if you fall in any category under Section 12 of the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987:
Women & Children
Every woman and every child is entitled to free legal services, regardless of income.
Members of Scheduled Castes & Scheduled Tribes
Members of SC/ST communities are entitled regardless of income.
Victims of Trafficking in Human Beings or Begar
Victims of human trafficking or forced labour (Article 23 of the Constitution).
Persons with Disability
Persons with disabilities as defined in the disability law.
Victims of Mass Disaster, Ethnic Violence, Caste Atrocity, Flood, Drought, Earthquake or Industrial Disaster
Persons under circumstances of undeserved want.
Industrial Workmen
Every industrial workman is entitled, regardless of income.
Persons in Custody
Persons in jails, protective homes, juvenile homes or psychiatric hospitals.
Persons with Income Below the State Ceiling
Any person whose annual income is below the ceiling notified by their State Government (₹5,00,000 for Supreme Court cases; most States: ₹1–3 lakh — your DLSA will tell you your State's limit).
Unsure? Apply anyway — the DLSA decides eligibility, and the application is free.
How to Apply — three ways, all free
Walk in
Visit your DLSA office (usually inside the District Court complex) and ask for the free legal aid application form. No lawyer needed to apply.
Call 15100
The free NALSA helpline guides you in your language and can register your request.
Apply online at nalsa.gov.in
Use NALSA's online legal aid application — your request is routed to the right authority. nalsa.gov.in
After you apply: the authority checks your eligibility, and a panel advocate is assigned to represent you free of charge. The institutions assign the lawyer — Nyaaysaarthi never does.
What is a Lok Adalat?
A people’s court where disputes are settled by agreement, not by fighting. It is free — no court fee; if your case was already in court, the fee is refunded when you settle. The award has the force of a court decree, and there is no appeal against a settled matter — it truly ends the dispute. Ask your DLSA when the next Lok Adalat sits.
Tele-Law — advice by video call
Get free legal advice from a panel lawyer by video call at your nearest Common Service Centre (CSC)— no travel to court needed. Available in every district under the Government’s Tele-Law / Nyaya Bandhu programme.
Visit tele-law.inHow the legal aid system is organised
NALSA (national) → SLSA (your State) → DLSA (your district) → Taluk committees (your tehsil). All of them exist to give you the same thing: a free lawyer and free legal help if you are entitled. Legal-aid clinics also operate in many jails, villages and law colleges. This page only lists official institutions — the institutions assign the lawyer.