IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM PRESENT : THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE S.SIRI JAGAN WEDNESDAY, THE 14TH JULY 2010 / 23RD ASHADHA 1932 WP(C).No. 21928 of 2010(M) -------------------------- PETITIONER(S): --------------- SURESHKUMAR .K OVERSEAR, KSEB, MANGALAPURAM RESIDING AT SREEBHARDRA, HOUSE NO.831,PRASANTH NAGAR ULLOOR, MEDICAL COLLEGE PO, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM BY ADV. SRI.PREMCHAND R.NAIR SRI.TOJAN J. VATHIKULAM SRI.V.P.PRASANTH RESPONDENT(S): --------------- 1. MANJUSHA K PEON, KAIC LTD, KISSAN JYOTHI, FORT PO THIRUVANANTHAPURAM , RESIDING AT KALLAMPALLY MADAM SREEKANTESWARAM, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM 2. THE DISTRICT LEGAL SERVICES AUTHORITY (LOK ADALATH)THIRUVANANTHAPURAM-35 THIS WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 14/07/2010, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING: S. SIRI JAGAN, J. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - W.P.(C)No.21928 of 2010 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Dated this the 14th day of July, 2010 J U D G M E N T A dispute between the petitioner and his wife in respect of maintainability of their younger son, who is a minor, was taken up before the Lok Adalath under the Thiruvananthapuram District Legal Services Authority and Ext.P1 settlement was signed by the petitioner agreeing to pay Rs.5,000/- per month to his younger son. He is challenging Ext.P1 on the ground that he was coerced to sign the same and he cannot afford to pay Rs.5,000/- since his monthly income is only Rs.9,851/- especially since he has to incur heavy expenses for treatment and medicine and bystander charges for his 80 year old mother. According to him he can afford only Rs.2,500/-, for which only he has agreed. I cannot countenance the contention that a judicial officer has coerced the petitioner to sign a settlement. The Statute prohibits challenging orders of settlement arrived at W.P.(C)No.21928 of 2010 -2- by the Lok Adalath particularly when the party has signed this settlement. That being so, the petitioner cannot challenge Ext.P1 settlement. Therefore this writ petition is dismissed. S. SIRI JAGAN JUDGE shg/