14. Grants by the Central Government.—The Central Government shall, after due appropriation
made by Parliament by law in this behalf, pay to the Central Authority, by way of grants, such sums of
money as the Central Government may think fit for being utilised for the purposes of this Act.
15. National Legal Aid Fund.—(1) The Central Authority shall establish a fund to be called the
National Legal Aid Fund and there shall be credited thereto—
(a) all sums of money given as grants by the Central Government under section 14;
(b) any grants or donations that may be made to the Central Authority by any other person for the
purposes of this Act;
(c) any amount received by the Central Authority under the orders of any court or from any other
source.
(2) The National Legal Aid Fund shall be applied for meeting—
(a) the cost of legal services provided under this Act including grants made to State Authorities;
2
[(b) the cost of legal services provided by the Supreme Court Legal Services Committee;
(c) any other expenses which are required to be met by the Central Authority.]
16. State Legal Aid Fund.—(1) A State Authority shall establish a fund to be called the State Legal
Aid Fund and there shall be credited thereto—
(a) all sums of money paid to it or any grants by the Central Authority for the purposes of this
Act;
(b) any grants or donations that may be made to the State Authority by the State Government or
by any person for the purposes of this Act;
(c) any other amount received by the State Authority under the orders of any court or from any
other source.
1. Subs. by Act 59 of 1994, s. 10, for clause (h) (w.e.f. 29-10-1994).
2. Subs. by s. 11, ibid., for clause (b) (w.e.f. 29-10-1994).
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(2) A State Legal Aid Fund shall be applied for meeting—
(a) the cost of functions referred to in section 7;
1
[(b) the cost of legal services provided by the High Court Legal Services Committee;
(c) any other expenses which are required to be met by the State Authority.]
17. District Legal Aid Fund.—(1) Every District Authority shall establish a fund to be called the
District Legal Aid Fund and there shall be credited thereto—
(a) all sums of money paid or any grants made by the State Authority to the District Authority for
the purposes of this Act;
2
[(b) any grants or donations that may be made to the District Authority by any person, with the
prior approval of the State Authority, for the purposes of this Act;]
(c) anyother amount received by the District Authority under the orders of any court or from any
other source.
(2) A District Legal Aid Fund shall be applied for meeting—
(a) the cost of functions referred to in section 10 3
[and 11B];
(b) any other expenses which are required to be met by the District Authority.
18. Accounts and audit.—(1) The Central Authority, State Authority, or the District Authority
(hereinafter referred to in this section as ‘the authority’), as the case may be, shall maintain proper
accounts and other relevant records and prepare an annual statement of accounts including the income and
expenditure account and the balance-sheet in such form and in such manner as may be prescribed by the
Central Government in consultation with the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India.
(2) The accounts of the Authorities shall be audited by the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India
at such intervals as may be specified by him and any expenditure incurred in connection with such audit
shall be payable by the Authority concerned to the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India.
(3) The Comptroller and Auditor-General of India and any other person appointed by him in
connection with the auditing of the accounts of an Authority under this Act shall have the same rights and
privileges and authority in connection with such audit as the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India
has in connection with the auditing of the Government accounts and, in particular, shall have the right to
demand the production of books, accounts, connected vouchers and other documents and papers and to
inspect any of the offices of the Authorities under this Act.
(4) The accounts of the Authorities, as certified by the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India or
any other person appointed by him in this behalf together with the audit report thereon, shall be forwarded
annually by the Authorities to the Central Government or the State Governments, as the case may be.
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[(5) The Central Government shall cause the accounts and the audit report received by it under subsection (4) to be laid, as soon as may be after they are received, before each House of Parliament.
(6) The State Government shall cause the accounts and the audit report received by it under subsection (4) to be laid, as soon as may be after they are received, before the State Legislature.]