LOK ADALAT

Done By
Shanthi S
Legal Department
LOK ADALAT

SHANTHI. S
LEGAL DEPARTMENT
 PEOPLE’S COURT

• Lok Adalat is also known as “People’s Court”

• It is a system of Alternate Dispute Resolution
(ADR)
• This system is an improvement and is based on
the principles of Mahatma Gandhi
• Lok Adalat is the most up-to-date and cheap
method of providing justice at peoples’ doorstep.
• People too will feel a sense of relief and calm.
 HOW DOES LOK ADALAT WORK?

• These are usually presided over by retired

judges, social activists, or other members of the
legal profession.
• No court fees.
• If the case is already filed in regular court, the
fee paid will be refunded if the dispute is settled
at the Lok Adalat.
• The procedural laws, and the Evidence Act are
not strictly followed.
 WORKING OF LOK ADALAT

• Main condition for referring a case to the Lok

Adalat is that both parties in dispute should
agree for settlement.
 FOCUS

• Focus is on compromise.
• When no compromise is reached, the matter
goes back to the court.
• If a compromise is reached, an amount is fixed
and is binding on the parties.
• This amount will be final and cannot be
appealed because it is a judgement by consent.
 THE LEGAL SERVICES AUTHORITIES ACT,
1987

POWERS OF LOK ADALAT (SECTION 22)

• Same powers as that of a civil court.

the summoning and enforcing the attendance
of any witness and examining him on oath.
the discovery and production of any
document;
the reception of evidence on affidavits;
 POWERS OF LOK ADALAT.. contd

such other matters as may be prescribed.

the requisitioning of any public record or
document or copy of such record or document
from any court or office;
 ADVANTAGES OF LOK ADALAT

• No Court Fee.
• No strict application of the procedural laws and
the Evidence Act.
• Disputes can be brought before the Lok
Adalat directly.
• Award is final without any appeal.
• Faster and inexpensive remedy with legal status.
 LOK ADALAT IN BANKS

• Lok Adalat institutions help banks to settle

disputes involving accounts in "doubtful"
and "loss" category, with outstanding
balance of Rs.5 lakhs for compromise
settlement under Lok Adalats. Debt
Recovery Tribunals have now been
empowered to organize Lok Adalats to
decide on cases of NPAs of Rs.10 lakhs
and above.