Lok Adalat in India | Settlement Forums & Legal Help
Lok Adalat settles disputes by agreement rather than judgment, with no court fee and an award that is final and binding.
AdvoMitra helps you find independent advocates who can advise before a Lok Adalat hearing, and explains what the forum can and cannot settle.
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Lok Adalat in India – Settlement Forums and How They Work
Lok Adalat is a forum for settling disputes by conciliation, organised under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987. Matters are settled by agreement between the parties rather than decided by a judgment.
An award made by a Lok Adalat has the effect of a decree of a civil court and is final. There is no appeal against it, because it rests on the consent of both sides.
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BOOK FREE CONSULTATIONHow a Matter Reaches a Lok Adalat
There are two routes. A case already pending before a court may be referred to Lok Adalat where both parties agree to attempt settlement. A dispute may also be brought directly at the pre-litigation stage, before any case has been filed.
Referral does not decide the matter. If no settlement is reached, a pending case returns to the court and continues from where it left off, and a pre-litigation dispute may still be filed as a suit.
Matters Commonly Settled
Lok Adalats regularly take up:
- Motor accident compensation claims
- Cheque bounce cases under Section 138
- Bank and financial recovery matters
- Matrimonial disputes other than divorce
- Traffic challans and municipal matters
- Land acquisition compensation
- Electricity and water bill disputes
Offences which are compoundable under law may be settled. Non-compoundable criminal offences cannot.
Court Fee and Cost
No court fee is payable to bring a matter before a Lok Adalat. Where a pending case is settled, the court fee already paid on the plaint is refunded under the Court Fees Act.
Levels of Lok Adalat
Lok Adalats are organised by the National Legal Services Authority at the national level, by State Legal Services Authorities at state level, and by District and Taluk Legal Services Committees locally. National Lok Adalats are held on scheduled dates across the country and dispose of large numbers of matters in a single sitting.
Preparing for a Lok Adalat Hearing
Settlement is quicker than litigation, but the terms are binding and cannot be appealed. It is worth understanding the value of your claim and the minimum you would accept before attending, and an advocate can advise on whether a proposed settlement is reasonable.
Explore legal services in Lok Adalat
Browse the areas advocates in Lok Adalat handle, and go straight to the one that fits your situation.
Motor accident claims
Compensation claims are among the most commonly settled matters in Lok Adalat.
Cheque bounce
Section 138 matters are compoundable and regularly settled through conciliation.
Family lawyer
Matrimonial disputes other than divorce may be settled before a Lok Adalat.
Consumer lawyer
Consumer complaints can be taken up at the pre-litigation stage without court fee.
Traffic challan
Challans are disposed of in large numbers at National Lok Adalat sittings.
Courts in India
If settlement is not reached, understand which court will hear the matter instead.
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