Lok Adalat

Lok Adalat is one of the modes of Alternative Dispute Resolution. The Lok Adalat is popularized throughout the State for the past several years. The public, Advocates and all the concerned are coming forward with enthusiasm to avail the Lok Adalat Mechanism for settlement of their cases. The Lok Adalat Mechanism is available throughout the State through the Legal Services Authorities / Committees for amicable settlement of cases.

Lok Adalat Benches consisting of Judicial Officers, Advocates and social workers deal with cases referred to them and help the parties in arriving at a settlement. The Lok Adalats shall have jurisdiction to determine and to arrive at a compromise or settlement between the parties to a dispute in respect of any case pending before any Court or any matter which is falling within the jurisdiction of any Court and is not brought before such Court that is pre-litigation. That means the lok Adalats can deal with the cases pending before any Court and referred to the Lok Adalat. Lok Adalats can also deal with the disputes at pre-litigation stage. In respect of cases pending before Courts, such cases can be referred to Lok Adalat if the parties thereof agree or one of the parties thereof makes an application to the Court or the Court is satisfied that the matter is an appropriate one to be taken cognizance of by the Lok Adalat. The Lok Adalats can deal with all Civil Cases, Matrimonial Disputes, Land Disputes, Partition/Property Disputes, Labour Disputes etc., and compoundable criminal Cases.

The Plaintiff/Petitioner is entitled to get refund of Court Fee that has been paid by him at the time of filing a Suit before a Court and that suit has been settled before the Lok Adalat. The parties who wish to avail the Lok Adalat Mechanism can simply approach the Court concerned or any of the Legal Services Institution. No fee is required to be paid by the parties to settle their cases before Lok Adalat.

Permanent Lok Adalat for Public Utility Services is another feature of Legal Services Authorities Act. It is a process of pre-litigation, conciliation and settlement. The Permanent Lok Adalat consists of a working Judicial Officer in the Cadre of District Judge and other Members having adequate experience in Public Utility Service. These Lok Adalats deal with cases pertaining to the following public utility Services at Pre-litigation stage

1. transport service for the carriage of passengers or goods by air, road or water; or
2. postal, telegraph or telephone service; or
3. supply of power, light or water to the public by any establishment; or
4. system of public conservancy or sanitation; or
5. service in hospital or dispensary; or
6. insurance service; or
7. Banking and other Financial Institutions (declared as Public utility Services vide GO.Rt.No.1839, Law (LA & J Home Courts,A1) Department,dated 12-12-2006; or
8. NREG Scheme (declared as Public Utility Services vide GO.Rt.No.293, Law (LA & J Home Courts,A1) Department, dated 3-2-2009.
9. Education or Educational Institution ( Declared as Public Utility Services Vide GO.No.417 Dated 14-2-2016 or
10. Housing and Real Estate Service ( Declared as Public Utility Services Vide GO.No.417 Dated 14-2-2016

Any party to a dispute may before the Dispute is brought before any Court, make an application to the Permanent Lok Adalat for settlement of dispute. However, the Permanent Lok Adalat shall not have jurisdiction in respect of non-compoundable cases. The Permanent Lok Adalat shall not have jurisdiction in the matter where the value of the property in dispute exceeds Rs 1 Crors.

After an application is made to the Permanent Lok Adalat for Public Utility Services, no party to that application shall invoke jurisdiction of any Court in the same dispute. No fee is required to be paid for settlement of cases before Permanent Lok Adalat. The Permanent Lok Adalat can make award either on merit or in terms of the settlement Agreement. The Award of the Permanent Lok Adalat shall be final and binding on all the parties thereto. Every Award of the Permanent Lok Adalat shall be deemed to be a decree of a Civil Court.

Permanent Lok Adalats are being set up in phased manner. Six (6) Permanent Lok Adalats have been set up in the first phase at the following stations and are functioning in the premises of Nyaya Seva Sadan in the District Court premises of the District Concerned.

1. Hyderabad
2. Karimnagar
3. Adilabad
4. Nizamabad
5. Ranga Reddy
6. Warangal

Consequent to establishment of Telangana State Legal Services Authority after carvation of the State on 02.06.2014, pension problems pertaining to retired persons of Telangana State Government were brought to the notice of Telangana State Legal Services Authority by the Pensioners’ Association. His Lordship, Hon’ble Sri Justice R. Subash Reddy, the then Executive Chairman of Telangana State Legal Services Authority was pleased to direct for constitution of Pension Lok Adalat to put an end to the hardship and disputes / grievances of the pensioners. Accordingly, the Member Secretary, Telangana State Legal Services Authority has constituted Permanent and Continuous Lok Adalat Bench to resolve the pension cases of Telangana State Government retired employees.

Hon’ble Sri Justice Vaman Rao, Judge (Retd.) High Court of Andhra Pradesh is pleased to give consent to preside the Pensioners Lok Adalat Bench. Sri Md. Bande Ali District Judge (Retd.), Sri A. Ranga Charyulu, are the members of this Pension Lok Adalat Bench and it will sit from time to time as and when warranted to resolve the pension disputes.