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{{Short description|Dispute resolution mechanism in India}}
{{Infobox law enforcement agency
| agencyname = Punjab State Legal Services Authority
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| headquarters = Punjab Lok Adalat, Site No. 126, opposite GMADA Community Centre, Sector 69, Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar, Punjab.<ref name="pl ref1" />
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| chief1name = Hon'ble Mr. Justice Ravi Shanker Jha.
| chief1position = Chief Justice, Punjab & Haryana High Court-and-Patron-in-Chief, [[Punjab Legal Services Authority]].<ref name="pl ref1">{{cite web |title=Punjab State Legal Service Authority |url=https://pulsa.punjab.gov.in/ |website=Punjab State Legal Service Authority |access-date=25 December 2021}}</ref>
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'''Punjab Lok Adalat''' or Punjab State Legal Services Authority (People's Court) is an [[statutory]] and [[autonomous]] body and an [[alternative dispute resolution]] mechanism used in the state of [[Punjab, India|Punjab]]. The Punjab Lok Adalat Act is designed to provide [[Constitution|constitutional]] protection guaranteed under Article 14 and 39-A of the [[Constitution of India]], of “ACCESS TO JUSTICE FOR ALL”. It is a legal system to resolve pending cases at Panchayat or rural places, those in a pre-litigation stage in courts are resolved amicably.<ref name="Mahar Adal Ref1">{{cite news |title=Lok Adalat |url=https://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/Hans-Classroom/2018-04-25/Lok-Adalat/376372?infinitescroll=1 |access-date=28 September 2021 |publisher=thehansindia.com |date=25 April 2018 |language=en}}</ref> It is recognised as statutory authority under the [[Legal Services Authorities Act 1987|Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987]] and the [[Lok Adalat|Lok Adalats]] award or decision are deemed to be civil court case and final and enforceable on both parties.<ref name="Mahar Adal Ref1" /> Such an award is not appealable in any court of law in the absence of any provision. However, by approaching the court of appropriate jurisdiction, litigation can be initiated by any party in the suit if any of them are dissatisfied with the decision of the Lok Adalat (in the absence of any provision for appeal against such award).<ref name="Mahar Adal Ref1" /><ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-02-26|title=Lok Adalat|url=https://nalsa.gov.in/lok-adalat|access-date=2021-07-16|website=nalsa.gov.in|language=en}}</ref>

"Section 22 B of The Legal Services Authorities Act 1987 provides for the establishment of Permanent Lok Adalats (PLA) for exercising jurisdiction in respect of one or more [[public utility]] services (PUS). Section 22 A of The Legal Services Authorities Act 1987 states what constitutes 'Public Utility Services' for the purpose of Permanent Lok Adalat".<ref>{{cite web|title=Permanent Lok Adalat|url=http://hslsa.gov.in/sites/default/files/documents/PLA.pdf|publisher=Haryana State Legal Services Authority}}</ref>

== History and Administration ==
Punjab Lok Adalat formed under Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 and to implement the provisions of Constitution which had been drafted to help every citizen to get justice irrespective of their economic or other limitations.<ref name="la ref6">{{cite book |last1=Kumar |first1=Dr Ashok |title=Alternative Dispute Resolution System in India |date=9 September 2021 |publisher=K.K. Publications |isbn=978-93-82657-09-5 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pyFCEAAAQBAJ&dq=punjab+lok+adalat&pg=PA189 |access-date=25 December 2021 |language=en}}</ref> The primary value [[Keel laying|laid down]] as per Indian Constitutional philosophy is individual dignity which forms the basis of human rights and demands on a holistic basis of civil, political, economical, social, and cultural rights.

Punjab Lok Adalat is formed with objective and purpose of ensuring and providing visible, practical and positive initiatives ensuring equality and non bias decisions as laid down in Constitution of India and assumes significance due to illiteracy and poverty prevalent in India.

Lok Adalats are constituted at below levels:<ref name="Lok Ref2">{{cite news |title=Lok Adalats unclog a choked justice delivery system |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/specials/insight/lok-adalats-unclog-a-choked-justice-delivery-system-1034264.html |access-date=28 September 2021 |publisher=Deccan Herald |date=26 September 2021 |language=en}}</ref>

*State Authorities.

*High Court.

*District and Taluk level.

1. Chairman.

2. Secretaries.

*Mandal Committees.

*Mediation Centres.

Types of Lok Adalat:

* Permanent Lok Adalat - Provides mechanism for adjudging cases referred under public utility services like transport, postal and telegraph.

* National Lok Adalat - Held from year 2015, every month on specific topic across India. These are held on a single day disposing off large number of pending cases.

* Mega Lok Adalat - Held across all courts in state in a single day.

* Mobile Lok Adalats - These types of Lok Adalats are organised occasionally which travel from one place to other across country occasionally and help resolving disputes.

Mr Justice Ravi Shanker Jha, Chief Justice, Punjab High Court, is current patron in Chief of Punjab Lok Adalat.<ref name="pla ref3">{{cite news |title=National Lok Adalat: 227 cases settled at HC |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/ahmedabad/national-lok-adalat-227-cases-settled-at-hc-7398741/ |access-date=25 December 2021 |publisher=The Indian Express |date=11 July 2021 |language=en}}</ref>

== Lok Adalat Committee and Complaint Procedures ==

Lok Adalat settles disputes which can be mutually resolved and mostly relating to [[Matrimonial law|matrimonial]], [[damages]] and partition suits.<ref name="rla ref2">{{cite news |title=National Lok Adalat to be held today {{!}} Jaipur News - Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/national-lok-adalat-to-be-held-today/articleshow/86101985.cms |access-date=25 December 2021 |work=The Times of India |date=11 September 2021 |language=en}}</ref> The following are the requirements of the cases before Lok Adalat:<ref name="Lok Ref2" />

* Lok Adalat takes up cases which are civil in nature (including marriage, and family disputes) and compoundable criminal cases.<ref name="pla ref2">{{cite news |title=255 cases disposed off during e- lok adalat at Punjab and Haryana HC |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/chandigarh-news/255-cases-disposed-off-during-e-lok-adalat-at-punjab-and-haryana-hc-101631388312158.html |access-date=25 December 2021 |publisher=Hindustan Times |date=12 September 2021 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="rla ref5">{{cite news |title=National Lok Adalat on July 10 {{!}} Jaipur News - Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/national-lok-adalat-on-july-10/articleshow/84156105.cms |access-date=25 December 2021 |work=The Times of India |date=6 July 2021 |language=en}}</ref>

* It accepts cases pending in regular court under their jurisdiction.

* The main condition of the Lok Adalat is that both parties in dispute agree for settlement.

* The court fee paid initially in the court for the complaints/petition is refunded to the parties, as no court fee is chargeable if a matter referred in the Lok Adalat and is resolved with parties agreeing to bind by it.

* Procedural laws and the [[Indian Evidence Act|Evidence Act]] are not strictly followed while assessing claims.

* Decisions are binding on the parties and its order is capable of execution through legal process.

The following types of cases can be admitted in Lok Adalat.<ref name="Lok Ref1">{{cite news |title=Lok Adalat |url=https://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/Hans-Classroom/2018-04-25/Lok-Adalat/376372?infinitescroll=1 |access-date=28 September 2021 |publisher=thehansindia.com |date=25 April 2018 |language=en}}</ref>

1. Any dispute or case pending in any court of law in India.

* Criminal offences which are compoundable.

* Cases under section 138 of Negotiable Instruments Act.

* Issues relating to recovery of money.

* Issues under Indian Motor Vehicles Act,1988.

* Issues relating to labour disputes.

* Issues relating to public utility bills like electricity, water etc excluding Non Compoundable offences.

* Issues relating to Matrimony.

2. Any dispute to be planned to filed in Court but did not come up for hearing in front of it. Following Pre-Litigation cases can also be filed in Lok-Adalat.

* Cases under section 138 of Negotiable Instruments Act.<ref name="pla ref5">{{cite news |title=e-National Lok Adalat: HC Committee disposes of 230 of 513 cases |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chandigarh/e-national-lok-adalat-punjab-hc-committee-disposes-of-230-of-513-cases-7668386/ |access-date=25 December 2021 |publisher=The Indian Express |date=12 December 2021 |language=en}}</ref>

* Cases relating to recovery of money.

* Issues relating to labour disputes.

* Issues relating to public utility bills like electricity, water etc excluding Non Compoundable offences.

* General Maintenance related disputes.

* Other Miscellaneous cases which are civil disputes, criminal compoundable cases and matrimonial disputes.

However, any legal issue which is not compoundable as per the Indian Legal Systems cannot be taken up in the Lok Adalat.

As the members are presiding Lok Adalat as statutory conciliators and not in judicial capacity they can only persuade the parties to come to a settlement. Sometimes counselling sessions are also held between opposing parties.
The main condition of the Lok Adalat is that both parties in dispute agree for settlement and if they are unable to do so, it is referred to the Permanent Lok Adalat for deciding the case provided the case is not related to compoundable offence.

Punjab Lok Adalat, as per Supreme Court judgement, is formed to arrive at a compromise or solution between parties in dispute and hence does not have jurisdiction to go into merits of complaint.<ref name="and lok ref15">{{cite news |title=Lok Adalat can't decide cases on merits|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/national/lok-adalat-cant-decide-cases-on-merits-sc-1041603.html |access-date=25 October 2021 |publisher=deccanherald.com |date=18 October 2021}}</ref>

== Details of cases Resolved ==

* Punjab Lok Adalat disposed off 255 cases out of 655 cases referred to it during E-national lok adalat organised at [[Punjab and Haryana High Court|Punjab and Haryana high court]] on September'21.<ref name="pla ref2" />

* Punjab Lok Adalat disposed off 227 cases out of 534 cases referred to it during E-national lok adalat organised at Punjab and Haryana high court on July'21 involving award amount of Rs. 6.32 crores.<ref name="pla ref3" />

== See also ==
* [[Gram Nyayalayas Act, 2008]]
* [[Legal Services Authorities Act 1987]]
* [[Punjab Legal Services Authority]]

== References ==

{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [https://pulsa.punjab.gov.in/?q=lok-adalat-scheme Official website]

{{Lok Adalat}}



[[Category:Dispute resolution]]
[[Category:Law of India]]
[[Category:Lok Adalat]]

Punjab Lok Adalat - Revision history

TKMD: made data.