Lok Adalat is one of the alternative dispute redressal mechanisms, it is a forum where disputes/cases pending in the court of law or at pre-litigation stage are settled/ compromised amicably. Lok Adalats have been given statutory status under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987

 

The jurisdiction of the Permanent Lok Adalats is upto Rs. One Crore. 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.

1) There is no court fee and if court fee is already paid it will be refunded if the dispute is settled in Lok Adalat. 2) The parties to the dispute can directly interact with the judge through their counsel which is not possible in regular court of law. 3) The basic feature of Lok Adalat is informal and speedy justice.

A Lok Adalat shall have jurisdiction to determine and to arrive at a compromise or settlement between the parties to a dispute in respect of:

·           Any case pending before any court, or.

 

·           Any matter which falls within the jurisdiction of any court and is not brought before   such court.

·         If the Person does not attend the Adalath, then they will send summons for next date. If the person is absent on that date too, then the lok adalat is stripped of the jurisdiction and court takes over. 4. If there are any tribunals other than Lok Adalats, under whose jurisdiction the case lies.

The Karnataka High Court recently said that once a case is closed at a Lok Adalat, it amounts to a decree or award and the court or magistrate does not have the power to recall the said order.