What is Lok Adalat? An important part of the India’s judicial system

Summary

Lok Adalat is a platform of the Indian judicial system where disputes are resolved in an easy, accessible, and mutually agreed manner. It is an alternative way of getting justice, which is specially designed for small and medium-level cases. Here decisions are made with the help of judges, lawyers, and social workers, but the process is completely informal and flexible.

Applied first in Gujarat in 1982, the Legal Services Authorities Act gave legal force in 1987. Lok Adalat generally seeks to guarantee rapid justice, reduced court backlogs, and peaceful settlements. It addresses a spectrum of issues, including bank loans, electricity, and water bill disputes, land conflicts, family conflicts, and accident compensation claims. 

Its key advantages are that choices taken are legally binding like a court order and that solicitors are not paid any fees. The process is laid on mutual agreement rather than legal intricacy and is informal and flexible. Should a party refuse to show up at Lok Adalat, their case returns to regular court, where the legal procedure is more expensive and time-consuming.

Introduction

In the Indian judicial system, Lok Adalat is an important platform for making justice easy and accessible. It is an alternative dispute resolution system developed especially for cases pending in the courts or in which the parties want to resolve the dispute by consensus. The main objective of Lok Adalat is to save time and money and provide a fair solution to both parties.

The basis of Lok Adalat is included in Article 39-A of the Indian Constitution, which talks about ensuring equal access to justice for all citizens. In the 1980s, the concept of Lok Adalat started being implemented across the country, and today it has become a strong part of the Indian judicial system. Here disputes are settled with the consent of the parties, which provides an easy and peaceful way to end the dispute.

In Lok Adalat, more emphasis is given to resolving small matters like family disputes, accident compensation, bank loans, electricity and water bill disputes, land disputes, etc. There are experienced people like lawyers, judges,s and social workers present here, who help in getting a settlement between the two parties. The biggest advantage of these courts is that no legal fees are charged here and the decision is considered as a court order.

In this article, we will discuss what is Lok Adala.? How does Lok Adalat work? What are the objectives of Lok Adalat? We will tell you about all these things in this article. That is why read this article completely so that you do not face any problems later.

What is Lok Adalat?

Lok Adalat is a platform of the Indian judicial system where disputes are resolved in an easy, accessible, and mutually agreed manner. It is an alternative way of getting justice, which is specially designed for small and medium-level cases. Here decisions are made with the help of judges, lawyers, and social workers, but the process is completely informal and flexible.

In Lok Adalat, disputes are resolved based on mutual dialogue and agreement between the two parties. No legal fees are charged in this, and the decision is as effective as a court order.

What is the history of Lok Adalat?

Lok Adalat’s history is connected to the initiatives to simplify and make the Indian legal system understandable for everybody. Its fundamental roots can be traced to the Panchayat system and the old Indian practice, in which headmen or village elders employed mutual consensus to settle conflicts amongst individuals Since this approach did not have to follow the challenges and procedures of the judicial process, it was cheap, quick and effective.

This idea gained popularity when a successful Lok Adalat was held in Gujarat in 1982 for the first time. Following this, Lok Adalat began to be scattered around the nation. The Legal Services Authorities Act was passed in 1987 officially including Lok Adalat into the court system.

It was supported constantly to give Lok Adalat legal legitimacy and simplify conflict loan settlement. Using this, family conflicts, land disputes, electricity-water bills, bank loans, car accident compensation, and other minor concerns are settled.

Nowadays, People’s Court is a necessary component of the Indian legal system since it not only guarantees justice but also helps to preserve societal peace and harmony. Its past shows how merging traditional and modern methods may help everyone to have access to justice.

What are Lok Adalat’s main objectives?

Its main objectives are as follows:

• Decisions in Lok Adalat are made based on mutual consent and agreement, which keeps both parties satisfied.

• The process in People’s Court is fast and easy, which saves time and legal expenses.

• It is especially beneficial for those who cannot afford expensive lawyers and lengthy court proceedings.

• It helps in resolving pending cases, thereby reducing the pressure on the justice system.

• The environment of Lok Adalat emphasizes resolving disputes in a peaceful manner, which maintains harmony and peace in the society.

• The decisions of People’s Court are valid like the orders of the court, due to which no one needs to appeal.

What are the benefits of going to Lok Adalat?

The following are its other benefits:

• Cases are settled quickly in Lok Adalat, so there is no need to wait for years.

• Here both the parties can resolve their dispute by mutual consent so that no one has a feeling of defeat or victory.

• Legal difficulties and formalities are avoided in People’s Court, which makes the process very simple and easy to understand.

• The decision of Lok Adalat gets legal recognition similar to the order of the court, so there is no need to challenge it further.

• The purpose of Lok Adalat is to resolve disputes peacefully, so that truth and unity remain in the society.

How is the functioning of Lok Adalat?

The functioning of Lok Adalat is as follows:

• Usually, those cases are brought in People’s Court which are small disputes or can be resolved by mutual consent. These include family disputes, electricity-water bills, bank loans, accident compensation, land disputes, etc.

• The dispute is resolved in People’s Court only when both parties are ready to resolve the matter with their consent.

• The main objective of Lok Adalat is to bring about a mutual settlement between the parties. Here experienced people like judges, lawyers, and social workers help so that both parties can reach a satisfactory solution.

• The process of People’s Court is informal. Here the strict legal procedures of the court are not followed, which makes it more flexible and easy.

• Here disputes are resolved in a very short time, so there is no need to wait for years.

• Whatever settlement or decision is made in People’s Court, it gets recognition like a court order. It is final and binding, that is, it cannot be challenged further.

What cases are resolved in Lok Adalat?

These mainly include the following types of cases:

• Like divorce, property division, marriage-related issues, and child custody.

• Like disputes related to loan payments, outstanding amounts, and any charges levied by banks.

• Cases related to compensation for damage caused in road accidents.

• Like land ownership, rent-related issues, or problems related to property division.

• Like defects in goods or services, consumer violations, etc.

• Like complaints regarding outstanding bills, and mistakes in bills.

• Like the non-availability of benefits of government schemes or disputes related to other government services.

What to do before going to Lok Adalat?

These steps will help you present your case in the right manner in People’s Court:

• First of all, understand whether your case is resolvable in People’s Court or not. Usually, small and simple cases are resolved in Lok Adalat, such as family disputes, loans, consumer issues, etc.

• Keep all the documents related to your case, such as settlement letters, bills, invoices, certificates, etc., ready. These documents make your case stronger.

• Consent of both the parties is necessary to settle the matter in People’s Court. Therefore, if you are ready to compromise with the other party, then get their consent.

• If you do not know about the procedure of People’s Court, then you can get information from your nearest legal services authority. They will give you the right guidance.

• Contact the legal services authority of your state or district and ensure when and where the Lok Adalat will be held.

• The purpose of People’s Court is to resolve the matter through compromise, so you should be ready to negotiate and compromise with the other party.

• The process of People’s Court is different from the formal court, where a very easy and flexible process is followed.

What is the result of not going to Lok Adalat?

If you do not go to People’s Court to resolve your matter, then there can be some consequences:

• The purpose of Lok Adalat is to resolve disputes quickly and cheaply. If you do not go to Lok Adalat, then your case will go to the general court, where the legal process can take more time and can also be more expensive.

• In People’s Court, both parties get an opportunity to resolve the dispute by mutual consent. If you do not go to People’s Court, then this opportunity can be lost and you may have to go through the difficult process of the court.

• Settlement of cases in a normal court can be long and expensive. In comparison, the matter is resolved quickly and at a lesser cost in People’s Court.

• The dispute is resolved peacefully in People’s Court, whereas sometimes tension and disputes can increase in the general court. You can lose this opportunity if you do not go to People’s Court.

How to get a loan waived in Lok Adalat?

Should a loan be sought at People’s Court, follow these guidelines:

• Make sure first that People’s Court covers your loan case. You can visit Lok Adalat should you find yourself in conflict about loan payment.

• To find out whether the bank or financial institution would be open to discussing loan cancellation given your circumstances, get in touch.

• Sometimes one might negotiate the loan with the banks for a loan forgiveness or repayment schedule.

• You can bring your case to Lok Adalat if both the bank and you agree the matter can be settled there.

• Using Lok Adalat, you might negotiate an arrangement with the bank that might call for a loan waiver, lowered payment, or simpler terms for payback.

• In People’s Court, the parties—that is, you and the bank—may arrive at an understanding by mutual consent.

• Though the debt cannot be waived, the bank can provide some relief—a waiver of interest, a waiver of some portion of the loan, or a strategy for easy loan payments.

What is a Lok Adalat notice?

A Lok Adalat notice is a formal notice sent by the People’s Court to a person or organization. Its purpose is to tell that their case has been presented for resolution in the Lok Adalat and they have to take action in this regard. When a decision is taken to settle a dispute in the People’s Court, the concerned parties are informed through this notice.

A Lok Adalat notice usually contains this information:

• The notice states what type of case it is and why it has been brought to the People’s Court.

• It states when and where the Lok Adalat hearing will take place so that the concerned parties can appear on time.

• It also states how and what procedure will be adopted in the Lok Adalat. In this, the parties are expected to negotiate, compromise or resolve.

• It is also made clear in the notice that both the parties have full right to express their views and they can present their point in the People’s Court.

When a person receives this notice, he has to properly inform the People’s Court about his situation. Through this, an attempt is made to resolve their dispute by bringing both parties on one platform.

Conclusion

Lok Adalat is an important and effective part of the Indian judicial system, which provides people with an opportunity to get justice in a quick, cheap, and easy way. In this, disputes are resolved through compromise and negotiation instead of complex legal processes. The main objective of People’s Court is to save people from long-running court cases and get them justice quickly.

Not only is the matter resolved quickly in People’s Court, but no legal fees are also charged in it, making it an accessible and affordable option for the common people. Apart from this, the process is very informal and flexible, so that people can resolve their matters without any stress.

Although the purpose of People’s Court is not to resolve loan waivers or very big financial disputes, it is very effective in resolving small cases like consumer disputes, family disputes, and property disputes. Through this, people save time and money and they can get their issues resolved without any difficulty.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)