With reference to National Legal Services Authority, consider the following statements: 1. Its objective is to provide free and competent legal services to the weaker sections of the society on the basis of equal opportunity. 2. It issues guidelines for the State Legal Services Authorities to implement the legal programmes and schemes throughout the country. Which of the statements given above is / are correct?

Both statements are correct, so the answer is C. NALSA is a statutory body under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, and it was constituted in 1995. Its basic mandate, in the Act and in NALSA's own description of its role, is to provide free and competent legal services to weaker sections on the basis of equal opportunity. That is Statement 1.

Statement 2 is also correct. NALSA lays down policies and principles for legal services, frames schemes, and issues guidelines that State Legal Services Authorities and District Legal Services Authorities must follow in running legal aid programmes and Lok Adalats across the country.

• Statement 1: Correct. Equal opportunity and access to justice for the poor is the core objective of the Act.
• Statement 2: Correct. NALSA is the apex body that coordinates and guides State Authorities.
• Option A, B, D: Each is wrong because it leaves out a statement that is correct.

Core concept: access to justice as a constitutional value under Article 39A (free legal aid), read with Article 14. For Mains, this links to governance questions on legal aid, pendency of cases and the role of Lok Adalats in reducing delays.

Trap: Candidates confuse NALSA with the Supreme Court or the High Courts, or treat the Act's objectives as a non-binding statement. Remember that NALSA is a statutory authority with an institutional structure running down to the district level.