Lok Sabha Question No. 670 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-11-20
Subject: Lok Adalats
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: Subhash Ramrao Bhamre, Amol Ramsing Kolhe, Sunil Dattatray Tatkare, Kuldeep Rai Sharma, Supriya Sadanand Sule, A.K.P. Chinraj

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

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## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 670

## TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, THE 20 th  NOVEMBER, 2019 Lok Adalats

670. DR. SUBHASH RAMRAO BHAMRE: DR. AMOL RAMSING KOLHE: SHRI SUNIL DATTATRAY TATKARE: SHRI KULDEEP RAI SHARMA: SHRIMATI SUPRIYA SULE: SHRI A.K.P. CHINRAJ:

Will the Minister of LAW AND JUSTICE be pleased to state:

- (a)   the number of various Lok Adalats organized during each of the last  three years and the current year in the country, especially in the States of Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu;
- (b)    the  number  of  cases  disposed  and  number  of  cases  pending  in  various      Lok Adalats during the said period;
- (c)   whether the Government has been able to achieve the target of disposal of cases filed in various Lok Adalats and if so, the details thereof and if not, the corrective action taken in this regard;
- (d)   whether the Government has provided funds to State Legal Services    Authorities to enhance legal aid to the marginalized sections and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e)  the  other  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  organize  such  Adalats  more frequently to bring about the early disposal of pending cases?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF LAW & JUSTICE, COMMUNICATIONS, ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI RAVISHANKAR PRASAD)

a)&(b)  A  statement  showing  number  of  various  Lok  Adalat  held  and  cases  disposed  of during the last three years and the current year all over the country and in the States of Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu are given at Annexure-A.

- (c)  No specific target is fixed for referral or disposal of cases prior to organization of any type of Lok Adalat. However, evaluation of data is done to enhance the efficacy of Lok Adalat  mechanism  and  process  intermittently  to  act  as  a  good  alternative  dispute resolution mechanism.
- (d)  Government  has  released  the  following  funds  as  grant-in-aid  to  National  Legal Services Authority (NALSA)  during  the  last three years  and in current year for implementing legal aid programmes through State Legal Services Authorities. Funds are not allocated separately for any legal aid scheme.

## (Rs. In Crore)

| Year    |   Funds Released |
|---------|------------------|
| 2016-17 |            63.67 |
| 2017-18 |           100    |
| 2018-19 |           150    |
| 2019-20 |           140    |
| Total   |           453.67 |

- (e)  The  State  Legal  Services  Authorities  have  been  issued  guidelines/directions  by NALSA vide National Legal Services Authority (Lok Adalat) Regulation, 2009 to organize Lok Adalats in required numbers so that pendency of cases could be reduced. Permanent Lok  Adalats  are  also  conducted  for  settlement  of  Public  Utility  Services  matter  at  prelitigation stage.

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## Annexure as referred to in reply to Part (a) & (b) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 670 for 20.11.2019 regd. Lok Adalats.

Details of Various Lok Adalats held and cases disposed of during last three years and the current year all over the country and in the States of Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu.

## Regular Lok Adalat:

| State                      | 2016-17                   | 2016-17                     | 2017-18                   | 2017-18                     | 2018-19                   | 2018-19                     | 2019-20 (upto June)       | 2019-20 (upto June)         |
|----------------------------|---------------------------|-----------------------------|---------------------------|-----------------------------|---------------------------|-----------------------------|---------------------------|-----------------------------|
|                            | Number of Lok Adalat held | Number of cases disposed of | Number of Lok Adalat held | Number of cases disposed of | Number of Lok Adalat held | Number of cases disposed of | Number of Lok Adalat held | Number of cases disposed of |
| Total all over the country | 119021                    | 1724312                     | 109695                    | 1928682                     | 116711                    | 1046737                     | 24267                     | 128452                      |
| Maharastra                 | 829                       | 143753                      | 65                        | 1117                        | 47                        | 798                         | 20                        | 327                         |
| Tamil Nadu                 | 2841                      | 19182                       | 3364                      | 19024                       | 3259                      | 17144                       | 493                       | 2239                        |

## National Lok Adalat:

The Number of cases disposed off by National Lok Adalats during last three years and the current year (upto September, 2019):

| State                      |     Year |    Year |    Year |    Year |
|----------------------------|----------|---------|---------|---------|
|                            |     2016 |    2017 |    2018 |    2019 |
| Total all over the country | 10498424 | 5405867 | 5882561 | 3880833 |
| Maharashtra                |   420297 |  511349 |  808625 |  298299 |
| Tamil Nadu                 |   566854 |  540718 |  475753 |  257120 |

## Permanent Lok Adalat:

The Number of cases disposed off by Permanent Lok Adalats during last three years and the current year (upto August, 2019):

| State                      | Year    | Year    | Year    | Year    |
|----------------------------|---------|---------|---------|---------|
| State                      | 2016-17 | 2017-18 | 2018-19 | 2019-20 |
| Total all over the country | 93555   | 124459  | 102625  | 42320   |
| Maharashtra                | 10546   | 10089   | 2981    | 1549    |
| Tamil Nadu                 | 0       | 0       | 0       | 7       |