SETTING
UP OF PERMANENT LOK ADALATS
The States and
Union Territories have started constituting Permanent Lok Adalats
under the Legal Services Authorities (Amendment) Act, 2002, seeking
to amend the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987.
All
public utility services cases such as transport of passengers
or goods by air, road or water, postal, telegraph or telephonic
services, supply of power and water to the public, public conservancies
or sanitation, hospitals or insurance, wherein Government is involved
as one the parties, pending in courts of law, will be transferred
to the Permanent Lok Adalats for faster settlement of such cases.
As directed
by the Chief Justice of India, the existing premises of subordinate
courts will be provided as venue for Permanent Lok Adalats between
6.00 p.m. and 9.00 p.m. on working days in order to tackle the
problems of accommodation and space for this Alternative Disputes
Resolution mechanism.
The
Permanent Lok Adalats will comprise a chairperson with judicial
experience and two other persons having adequate experience in
public utility services.
The monetary jurisdiction
of Permanent Lok Adalats has been fixed at Rs. 10 lakhs with power
conferred on the Government to revise it from time to time.
After an application
is filed by any party before the Permanent Lok Adalat for settlement,
no party shall invoke jurisdiction of any court or tribunal.
Award made by the
Lok Adalats shall be final, binding and shall not be questioned
in any original suit, application of adjudication proceedings.
Besides, the award shall be deemed to be a decree of a civil court.
