The Lok Adalat Is One of The

The Lok Adalat is one of the important Alternative Disputes Resolution (ADR) Mechanism
available to common people

The Minister of Law and Justice, Shri Kiren Rijiju in a written reply to a question in the Lok
Sabha today informed that the Lok Adalat is one of the important Alternative Disputes
Resolution (ADR) Mechanism available to common people. It is a forum where the disputes/
cases pending in the court of law or at pre-litigation stage are settled/ compromised
amicably. Lok Adalat is primarily a “People’s Court” wherein decisions are arrived at
between two or more disputing parties on mutually acceptable terms amicably. NALSA along
with other Legal Services Institutions conducts Lok Adalats. Under the Legal Services
Authorities (LSA) Act, 1987, an award made by a Lok Adalat is deemed to be a decree of a
civil court and is final and binding on all parties and no appeal lies against thereto before any
court. In order to reduce the pendency of cases in courts and also to settle the disputes at pre-
litigation stage, Lok Adalats are organized by Legal Services Institutions at such intervals as
it deems fit. Lok Adalat is not a permanent establishment. However, as per Section 19 of the
LSA Act, 1987, Lok Adalats are organized by Legal Services Institutions as per requirement.
National Lok Adalats are organized simultaneously in all Taluks, Districts and High Courts
on a pre-fixed date.There are three types of Lok Adalats:-
Levels and Composition of Lok Adalats:
At the State Authority Level -
The Member Secretary of the State Legal Services Authority organizing the Lok Adalat
would constitute benches of the Lok Adalat, each bench comprising of a sitting or retired
judge of the High Court or a sitting or retired judicial officer and any one or both of- a
member from the legal profession; a social worker engaged in the upliftment of the weaker
sections and interested in the implementation of legal services schemes or programmes.
At High Court Level -
The Secretary of the High Court Legal Services Committee would constitute benches of the
Lok Adalat, each bench comprising of a sitting or retired judge of the High Court and any one
or both of- a member from the legal profession; a social worker engaged in the upliftment of
the weaker sections and interested in the implementation of legal services schemes or
programmes.
At District Level -
The Secretary of the District Legal Services Authority organizing the Lok Adalat would
constitute benches of the Lok Adalat, each bench comprising of a sitting or retired judicial
officer and any one or both of either a member from the legal profession; and/or a social
worker engaged in the upliftment of the weaker sections and interested in the implementation
of legal services schemes or programmes or a person engaged in para-legal activities of the
area, preferably a woman.
At Taluk Level -
The Secretary of the Taluk Legal Services Committee organizing the Lok Adalat would
constitute benches of the Lok Adalat, each bench comprising of a sitting or retired judicial
officer and any one or both of either a member from the legal profession; and/or a social
worker engaged in the upliftment of the weaker sections and interested in the implementation
of legal services schemes or programmes or a person engaged in para-legal activities of the
area, preferably a woman.
National Lok Adalat
National Level Lok Adalats are held for at regular intervals where on a single day Lok
Adalats are held throughout the country, in all the courts right from the Supreme Court till the
Taluk Levels wherein cases are disposed off in huge numbers. From February 2015, National
Lok Adalats are being held on a specific subject matter every month.
Permanent Lok Adalat
The other type of Lok Adalat is the Permanent Lok Adalat, organized under Section 22-B of
The Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987. Permanent Lok Adalats have been set up as
permanent bodies with a Chairman and two members for providing compulsory pre-litigative
mechanism for conciliation and settlement of cases relating to Public Utility Services like
transport, postal, telegraph etc. Here, even if the parties fail to reach to a settlement, the
Permanent Lok Adalat gets jurisdiction to decide the dispute, provided, the dispute does not
relate to any offence. Further, the Award of the Permanent Lok Adalat is final and binding on
all the parties. The jurisdiction of the Permanent Lok Adalats is upto Rs. Ten Lakhs. Here if
the parties fail to reach to a settlement, the Permanent Lok Adalat has the jurisdiction to
decide the case. The award of the Permanent Lok Adalat is final and binding upon the parties.
The Lok Adalat may conduct the proceedings in such a manner as it considers appropriate,
taking into account the circumstances of the case, wishes of the parties like requests to hear
oral statements, speedy settlement of dispute etc.
Mobile Lok Adalats are also organized in various parts of the country which travel from one
location to another to resolve disputes in order to facilitate the resolution of disputes through
this mechanism.
Formation in India:
The concept of Lok Adalats in India is based on the principles of the Panchayat system,
where disputes were traditionally resolved by village elders. However, the formal
establishment of Lok Adalats in the modern legal framework began with the introduction of
the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987. This act was enacted to provide free and competent
legal services to the weaker sections of society, and it specifically empowered the
organization of Lok Adalats to facilitate amicable resolution of disputes.
Under the Legal Services Authorities Act, National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), State
Legal Services Authority (SALSA), and District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) were
established to organize Lok Adalats at various levels.
Origin of Lok Adalats

The concept of Lok Adalats was pushed back into oblivion in last few centuries before
independence and particularly during the British regime. Now, this concept has, once again,
been rejuvenated. It has become very popular and familiar amongst litigants.
This is the system, which has deep roots in Indian legal history and its close allegiance to the
culture and perception of justice in Indian ethos. Experience has shown that it is one of the
very efficient and important ADR mechanisms and most suited to the Indian environment,
culture and societal interests.
Camps of Lok Adalats were started initially in Gujarat in March 1982 and now it has been
extended throughout the Country.
The evolution of this movement was a part of the strategy to relieve heavy burden on the
Courts with pending cases and to give relief to the litigants. The first Lok Adalat was held on
March 14, 1982 at Junagarh in Gujarat. Maharashtra commenced the Lok Nyayalaya in 1984.
The advent of Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 gave a statutory status to Lok Adalats,
pursuant to the constitutional mandate in Article 39-A of the Constitution of India. It contains
various provisions for settlement of disputes through Lok Adalat.
This Act mandates constitution of legal services authorities to provide free and competent
legal services to the weaker sections of the society and to ensure that opportunities for
securing justice are not denied to any citizen by reason of economic or other disabilities.
1 ) No Court Fee -
There is no Court fee and if Court fee is already paid the amount will be refunded
if the dispute is settled at Lok Adalat according to the rules.
2) Procedural Flexibility and Speedy trial -
The basic features of Lok Adalat are the procedural flexibility and speedy trial
of the disputes. There is no strict application of procedural laws like Civil Procedure Code
and Evidence Act while accessing the claim by Lok Adalat.
3) Directly interaction with the Judge -

The parties to the dispute can directly interact with the Judge through their Counsel which is
not possible in Regular Courts of Law.
4) Award of Lok Adalat -
The award by the Lok Adalat is binding on the parties and it has the status of a
decree of a Civil Court and it is non- appealable which does not cause the delay in the
settlement of disputes finally.
Lok Adalats are boon to the litigating public, they can get their disputes settled fast
and free of cost amicably.
In summary, Lok Adalats in India offer a people-centric, accessible, and efficient alternative
to traditional court litigation, providing a platform for resolving disputes through conciliation
and compromise.

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The Lok Adalat is one of the important Alternative Disputes Resolution (ADR) Mechanism

available to common people

Levels and Composition of Lok Adalats:

At the State Authority Level -

At High Court Level -

National Lok Adalat

Permanent Lok Adalat

Origin of Lok Adalats

2) Procedural Flexibility and Speedy trial -

3) Directly interaction with the Judge -

4) Award of Lok Adalat -

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