National Lok Adalat

Context

National Lok Adalat will be held on 12 November across the country to dispose off pending cases through settlement. 

About Lok Adalat

• The Lok Adalat is one of the alternative dispute redressal mechanisms platform where the cases (or disputes) which are pending before a court or which are at the pre-litigation stage (not yet brought before a court) are compromised or settled in an agreeable manner. 
• The ‘Lok Adalat’ is one of the components of the ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution) system. 
• National Legal Services Authority of India (NALSA) along with other Legal Services Institutions conducts Lok Adalats.
• Indian courts are overburdened with a backlog of cases and the regular courts are to decide the cases involving a lengthy, expensive and tedious procedure. 
• Lok Adalat provides alternative resolutions for expeditious and inexpensive justice. 
• Lok Adalat is an alternate mode of dispute settlement that has come to be accepted as a viable, economic, efficient and informal one.
• 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.

Background

• The first Lok Adalat camp was organised in Gujarat in 1982. This initiative proved very successful in the settlement of disputes. 
• The institution of Lok Adalat started spreading to other parts of the country. 
• At that time, this institution was functioning as a voluntary and conciliatory agency without any statutory backing for its decisions. 
• The institution of Lok Adalat has been given statutory status under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987.

Nature of Cases to be referred to Lok Adalat

• Any case pending before any court.
• Any dispute which has not been brought before any court and is likely to be filed before the court.
• Any matter relating to an offence not compoundable under the law shall not be settled in Lok Adalat.