Reimagining Accountability and Quality Assurance in India’s Legal Aid Services Under the Legal Aid Services Authorities Act, 1987

The constitutional promise of access to justice in India operationalized primarily through the legal framework established under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987. Existing research work has focused largely on the expansion of legal aid services and access to legal aid services. The accountability and quality of legal representation comparatively remains under examined. This study addresses the gap through an empirical analysis of the four district legal services authorities in West Bengal, belonging to distinct zones, identified as representative for the pilot survey. Primary data were obtained under the Right to Information Act, 2005, to examine the process of lawyer empanelment, case allocation mechanism, fee verification procedures and functioning of the Monitoring and Mentoring Committee. A critical analysis of mechanisms of complaint handling and accountability reveals a considerable variation in the administrative practices across the district. This research article proposes a model accountability framework, built on measurable quality indicators.