Lok Adalats translated in English means "court for the common". Started as an innovative concept in India for the first time, these have become an integral part of the judiciary. The purpose of introducing the concept of "Lok Adalats" was to make it function as a subsidiary of the conventional courts to lessen the burden on them a bit. It is one of the grass root level systems in India and an excellent ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution) mechanism.
The concept of Lok Adalats identifies itself with the Indian ethos on justice and jurisprudence. It is perfect for the Indian cultural beliefs, environment and societal interests. These courts work on the foundation of fairness, neighborliness, transparency, and friendliness. The primary goal of the Lok Adalat is to strike a compromise between the litigants and thus save on resources and minimize the need to unnecessarily undergo the complex and dragging legal system. These deal with litigation issues civil in nature like violation of civil rights, domestic issues, consumer rights, insurance claims, and issues pertaining to public services like electricity, water and roads.
Sunny days are back
From a period of oblivion under the British rule, Lok Adalats have returned with renewed energy and this is evident by the welcome it has received by the litigants and people. In a short span of time, more civil cases have been resolved than in the history of Indian legal system.
Figures of resolved cases crossing the million-mark are an indicator of the effectiveness of Lok Adalats in India. These courts have been powered with judicial and administrative teeth to counter injustice meted out to the weaker sections of the society and safeguarding the interests of the common man, under the Legal Services Authorities Act.
Procedure of LAs’
The procedures followed at a Lok Adalat shall put to shame the Indian legal system as it is shorn of all customary legal rituals and formalisms. Any of the parties in dispute can approach a Lok Adalat for redressal of their issues. There are no charges involved and no protocols to be followed to formally file a suit against either party.
The feature of a Lok Adalat that makes it an outright choice for adjudication of matters trivial in magnitude is its inexpensive remedy with legal status. The awards by Lok Adalat are to be considered as legally binding as is a decree of a court: this was enforced by the apex body of Indian legal structure, the Supreme Court. Quick disposition of matters attracts litigants towards this ancient form of jurisdiction.
Lok Adalats are here to stay!
The growing success and overwhelming response of Lok Adalats in the recent past has paved the way for Permanent Lok Adalats (PLA). As envisaged by regulatory bodies and their corresponding acts, PLAs will be the order of the day in the near future. All disputes in respect of Public Utility Service shall be under the jurisdiction of the PLAs. However if the property under dispute is worth more than 10 lakh INR, it ceases to fall under the PLAs. Establishment of more and more Permanent Lok Adalats in the country is sure to make a significant difference in the pace of the legal system in India.
Real estate and Lok Adalat
There is a high incidence of litigation concerning property and inheritance among Indians, especially senior Indians. This is in addition to the ever rampant landlord-tenant disputes that seem to be a household story. Ignorance and sidelining of the property laws are the major reasons for such issues.
The Permanent and continuous Lok Adalats are under pressure to adjudicate property litigations at a never before speed which is likely to add more owing the recent increased hype in the real estate market. In the rat race to accrue maximum returns on property investments, parties are tempted to look over legal implications. Rising number of cases in existing Lok Adalats is pressing the need for more Permanent Lok Adalats in the District Centers and the government is likely to oblige.
There is also the trend to address issues by the PLAs at a pre-litigation stage so that a likely real estate litigation is avoided and resources are conserved. This can be arrived at by providing access to legal services to the interested parties and educating them on laws and its benefits.
An ideal situation would be that all courts are rendered obsolete with no one breaking a law but as the effort is on to reach there, lets make use of the best redressal system available.