Supreme Court Free Legal Aid Service Rules, Eligibility: If you are earning up to Rs 5 lakh per year, then here's good news for you. Now, you can get free legal aid service at the Supreme Court. According to a report by Hindi daily Hindustan, the Supreme Court of India has increased the income limit under free legal aid services provided to the poor. Now, those earning up to Rs 5 lakh per year will be able to get free lawyer service to argue their case in the Supreme Court. Earlier, this limit was Rs 1.25 lakh.

The apex court had amended the Supreme Court legal Service Rule 7 to increase the income limit for providing free legal aid to poor. The decision of the top court has also been notified, the report said. Several factors like inflation index, minimum pay rise etc. were considered for increasing the income limit, the report said.

Early this year, the government of India had announced provisions that made citizens earning up to Rs 5 lakh taxable income/year eligible to not pay any tax.

Free legal aid is considered to be one of the Fundamental Rights guaranteed to all citizens by the Constitution of India. Article 21 of Constitution says, "No person shall be deprived of his life or personal liberty except according to procedure established by law”.

Further, free legal aid to the poor and weaker sections of the society is provided under Article 39A of the Constitution.

Legal aid to middle class poor

In 2017, the Supreme Court had made it easier for the people of middle and lower-income groups to approach it to avail legal aid. An official release had then said that the Middle Income Group Scheme, introduced by the Supreme Court, is self-supporting and people whose gross income does not exceed Rs 60,000 per month or Rs 7,50,000 per annum can now avail its services., news agency IANS had reported.

"This scheme provide legal services to the middle income group citizens i.e. citizens whose gross income is not exceeding Rs.60,000/- p.m. or Rs. 7,50,000," says Supreme Court's Legal Aid web page.

