Section 19 in The Maharashtra State Legal Aid and Advice Board Rules, 1981
19. Application for Legal Aid or Advice.
(1)An application for legal aid or advice may be made in the prescribed form or otherwise containing all the essential particulars indicated in the Form. The application shall be supported by an affidavit on the point of his annual income.(2)An application for aid may be presented by the applicant in person or by any person duly authorised by him on his behalf. The application shall be received as far as possible in the office of the Member-Secretary or office of the Committee for legal aid and advice.(3)An application for relief in respect of the matters arising in Taluka area shall be addressed as far as possible to the Taluka Legal Aid Committee, provided an application for aid and advice where relief is sought before an authority or court having office at the District headquarters or seeking advice of senior member of the legal profession it may be made to the District Legal Aid Committee.(4)An application for relief by way of aid or advice within the limits of city and Taluka of Nagpur or pertaining to High Court bench at Nagpur may be made to the legal aid and advice committee, Nagpur.(4A)[ An application for relief by way of aid or ad vice within the limits of city and Taluka of Aurangabad or pertaining to High Court bench at Aurangabad may be made to the Legal Aid and Advice Committee, Aurangabad.] [Sub-rule (4A) was inserted by G.N., L. & J.D., No. LAB.-1086/(65 A)-XIV, dated 10th July, 1986, rule 2.](5)An application for advice or relief by a person seeking aid or advice in which relief may be given in the High Court or any other Court or authority in Greater Bombay may be made to legal aid and advice committee for Greater Bombay.(6)An application for aid or advice may be received by any member of the legal aid and advice committee in the area who shall forward it to the Member-Secretary of the appropriate Committee.(7)An application for legal aid may be received any where in the state by any member of the Maharashtra State Legal Aid and Advice Board and he shall forward the same to the proper legal aid and advice committee.(8)Wherever an application is presented or received for legal aid and advice the persons receiving the application shall make an endorsement on the application of the date of receipt, name and address of the person presenting the application and the place where the application is presented.(9)If the application is received by a member of the committee who is a lawyer or Member-Secretary or the person receiving the application shall scrutinize it and ascertain from the applicant further facts or information necessary to be stated and required as per prescribed Form.(10)The statement in the application as to the annual income of the applicant may be verified by the person receiving the application by asking necessary information at the time of receipt of the application. If sufficient information is given to satisfy the persons receiving the application about the eligibility of the person making the application on the basis of annual income, the applicant shall be asked to be present before the Advocate on the panel to whom the application may be referred on a date and time and address to be intimated to the applicant.(11)Written acknowledgement of receipt of application shall be given to the person making the application if the application is received in the office of the committee or by the Member-Secretary. If an application is received by person other than the person authorised to receive the application, the Member Secretary shall arrange to send a written acknowledgement of the receipt of the application to the applicant in due course intimating him the date and time where the applicant is required to be present for further inquiry.(12)If the person receiving the application is of the opinion that some further information or documents or inquiries is required to be furnished by the applicant or on his behalf, then an endorsement to that effect shall be made in the application and the person presenting the application shall be informed accordingly.(13)As far as possible the application shall be made in duplicate in prescribed Form.(14)Any person eligible to receive legal aid and advice but unable to present an application in writing seeks aid and advice of the committee may be assisted in having his application prepared in the office of the Committee on the basis of instructions and information to be furnished by the applicant.
