The second National Lok Adalat of the year saw over 11.42 lakh cases being disposed of by 5,129 benches across the country, the National Legal Services Authorities (NALSA) said.

National Lok Adalat is held at regular intervals. On a single day, Lok Adalats are held throughout the country in all courts, wherein cases are disposed of in huge numbers. 

The National Lok Adalat was organised on July 10 through virtual and hybrid mode following COVID-19 protocols.

The National Lok Adalat in Kerala was preponed to July 9, wherein a total 39,361 cases were taken up, out of which 26,118 cases were disposed of, and a settlement amount of Rs 86.81 crore was awarded. The National Lok Adalat has been postponed in Maharashtra, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Karnataka and West Bengal.

The next National Lok Adalat of the year is scheduled to be held on September 11, NALSA said. 

National Legal Services Authority (NALSA)

• The National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) has been constituted under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 to monitor and evaluate implementation of legal aid programmes and to lay down policies and principles for making legal services available under the Act.

• In every state, a State Legal Services Authority (SLSA) and in every High Court, a High Court Legal Services Committee has been constituted. District Legal Services Authorities (DLSAs), Taluk Legal Services Committees have been constituted in the districts and most of the taluks to give effect to the policies and directions of the NALSA and to provide free legal services to the people and conduct Lok Adalats in the state. 

• Supreme Court Legal Services Committee (SCLSC) has been constituted to administer and implement legal services related to the Supreme Court of India.

Functions of NALSA

• NALSA lays down policies, principles, guidelines and frames effective and economical schemes for the State Legal Services Authorities to implement  legal services programmes throughout the country.

• Primarily, the State Legal Services Authorities, District Legal Services Authorities, Taluk Legal Services Committees, etc have been tasked to discharge the following functions:

1) To provide free and competent legal services to the eligible persons covered under Section 12 of the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987.

2) To organise Lok Adalats for amicable settlement of disputes. 

3) To organise legal awareness camps in the rural areas.

Lok Adalats

• In order to facilitate alternative methods of dispute resolution, NALSA conducts Lok Adalats. It is a forum where disputes/cases pending in the court of law or at the pre-litigation stage are settled/compromised amicably. 

• Lok Adalats have been given statutory status under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987. Under the said Act, the award (decision) made by the Lok Adalats is deemed to be a decree of a civil court and is final and binding on all parties and no appeal lies against such an award before any court of law.

Types of Lok Adalats: 

1) Regular Lok Adalats are organised by the Legal Services Authorities/Committees as per the convenience/discretion of the state/district authorities, for settlement of both pre-litigation and post-litigation cases.

2) National Lok Adalats are conducted quarterly for settlement of cases (both pre-litigation and post-litigation) in all the courts from the Supreme Court of India to the taluk courts on a single day.

3) Permanent Lok Adalats are permanent establishments set up in most of the districts to provide compulsory pre-litigative mechanism for settlement of disputes related to public utility services.

• Mobile Lok Adalats are also organised 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.

• Lok Adalats have alsomoved to the virtual platform due to the coronavirus pandemic.

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