The Government is
in the process of finalizing the terms and conditions of appointment
of Chairmen and Members of Permanent Lok Adalats to be established
under the Legal Services Authorities (Amendment) Act, 2002. Thereafter,
the process of establishment of the Permanent Lok Adalats will
be expedited with the issue of a notification in this regard.
All the cases
relating to Public Utility Services will be brought within the
purview of Permanent Lok Adalats. These will include transport
service for carriage of passengers or goods by air, road or water,
postal, telegraph or telephone and internet service, supply of
power, light or water to the public by any establishment, system
of public conservancy or sanitation, service in hospital or dispensary
and insurance services. This will also include any service which
the Central Government or the State Government, as the case may
be, may, in the public interest, by notification, declare to be
a public utility service for such purposes. Besides, the value
of public utility services to be considered by Permanent Lok Adalats
will be upto Rs. 10 lakhs, the limit of which could be increased
by notification to be issued by the Central Government or the
State Government depending upon the overall input costs.
Once Permanent
Lok Adalats are established, all public utility services cases
now pending in courts will be transferred to them.
