Justice Vikram Nath new Executive Chairman of NALSA

Justice Vikram Nath, the senior-most judge of the Supreme Court, has been nominated as the next Executive Chairman of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA).

His appointment will take effect from today, an official notification said.

Justice Nath replaces Justice Surya Kant, who was sworn in as the 53^rd Chief Justice of India on Monday.

Constituted under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, NALSA is mandated to provide free legal services to weaker sections of the society. According to the NALSA Act, the CJI is the Patron-in-Chief of NALSA. The President, in consultation with the CJI, appoints an active or retired Supreme Court judge as the Executive Chairman of NALSA.

The nomination was made by President Droupadi Murmu in exercise of powers conferred by the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987.

Justice Nath, who has served on the Supreme Court Bench since 2021, will supervise NALSA’s mission of guiding the nation’s legal aid system and offering competent and free legal services to those in need of the same.

Another Supreme Court judge, Justice Maheshwari, has been nominated as Chairperson of the Supreme Court Legal Services Committee (SCLSC) by CJI Surya Kant.