In exercise of the powers conferred by Section 3A of the Legal Services Authorities Act

## Policy Analysis Report: Amendment to Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 Regarding Supreme Court Legal Services Committee Chairman **1. Executive Summary:** This report analyzes a notification amending the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, specifically concerning the Chairman of the Supreme Court Legal Services Committee. The core purpose of this amendment, as derived from the provided text, is to appoint Hon'ble Mr. Justice Vikram Nath as the Chairman of the Committee, effective May 25, 2025. This report details the change, identifies the affected stakeholders, and infers the likely implications of this appointment. **2. Introduction:** This report aims to provide an informative analysis of a government notification pertaining to an amendment within the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987. The analysis is based solely on the provided text of the notification. **3. Policy Overview:** * This notification constitutes an amendment to the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987. It also amends Notification No. S.O.115E dated 09.02.2000. * The core objective of this amendment, as evidenced by the text, is to appoint a new Chairman to the Supreme Court Legal Services Committee. **4. Background and Rationale:** This is an amendment to an existing notification from 2000. The amendment's rationale, based on the text, appears to be a change in leadership within the Supreme Court Legal Services Committee. Justice Vikram Nath is succeeding a previous chairman (whose name is not provided, but was listed under serial number 1 in the original notification of 2000). It is a routine administrative update reflecting personnel changes. **5. Key Provisions / Changes:** This notification introduces the following specific changes: * **What is being changed:** The notification amends Notification No. S.O.115E dated 09.02.2000, specifically the entry for the Chairman of the Supreme Court Legal Services Committee (originally listed under serial number 1). * **The new rule/provision:** The amendment substitutes the original entry with the following: "1. MR. Justice Vikram Nath CHAIRMAN Judge, Supreme Court of India." * **The difference/effect of the change:** The previous Chairman of the Supreme Court Legal Services Committee is replaced by Hon'ble Mr. Justice Vikram Nath, Judge, Supreme Court of India. This change is effective from May 25, 2025. **6. Target Audience and Stakeholders:** Based on the provided text, the primary stakeholders directly affected by this amendment are: * **Hon'ble Mr. Justice Vikram Nath:** The newly appointed Chairman. * **Members of the Supreme Court Legal Services Committee:** As the chairman is their leader. * **The Supreme Court of India:** Where Justice Nath is a judge and where the Legal Services Committee resides. * **National Legal Services Authority (NALSA):** The organization responsible for legal services authorities. * Indirectly, those who utilize the services of the Supreme Court Legal Services Committee. **7. Implementation Aspects (Inferred):** * **Responsible agency/bodies:** The National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) initiates the amendment. The Chief Justice of India holds the power to nominate the Chairman. The Secretary General of the Supreme Court of India acts as Member Secretary. * **Timelines/procedures:** The amendment takes effect on May 25, 2025. The text doesn't outline specific procedures beyond the nomination and notification. **8. Expected Outcomes / Impact of Changes:** The expected outcome of this change is a seamless transition in leadership within the Supreme Court Legal Services Committee. The appointment of a new Chairman is unlikely to drastically alter the Committee's core functions but may influence its priorities or approach under Justice Nath's leadership. The impact *of the amendment itself* is primarily administrative, ensuring the committee has a designated leader. The effect on the broader legal landscape is likely to be minimal unless Justice Nath implements significant policy changes within the Committee, which is not discernible from this text. **9. Conclusion:** The notification represents an administrative update to the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987. It appoints Hon'ble Mr. Justice Vikram Nath as the Chairman of the Supreme Court Legal Services Committee, effective May 25, 2025. While the immediate impact of this amendment is administrative, the leadership change may indirectly influence the Committee's future operations. Further information on Justice Nath's specific vision for the committee would be needed to determine if substantial changes can be anticipated.

Key Entities Referenced