Lok Sabha Question No. 1103 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-03
Subject: Lok Adalats
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: Anubhav Mohanty

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-1103 TO BE ANSWERED ON FRIDAY 03/12/2021

## LOK ADALATS

1103. SHRI ANUBHAV MOHANTY: Will the Minister of LAW AND JUSTICE be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Lok  Adalats  have  been  established  in  every  district  across  the country;
- (b)  if  so,  the  total  number  of  Lok  Adalats  currently  functioning  in  the  country, district-wise;
- (c) the expected rate of disposal of cases in the Lok Adalats and the current rate of disposal of cases in these Adalats; and
- (d) whether the expected rate of disposal of cases is not being achieved as per the plan,  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  reasons  therefor  along  with  the  action taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF LAW & JUSTICE (SHRI KIREN RIJIJU)

- (a) and (b) Lok Adalat is not a permanent establishment and is organised at such intervals as felt required with a view to reduce pendency of cases in courts and settle  disputes  at  pre-litigation  stage.  However,  as  per Section  19 of  the  Legal Services  Authorities  (LSA)  Act,  Lok  Adalats  are  organized  by  Legal  Services Institutions as per requirement. National Lok Adalats are organized simultaneously  in  all  Taluks,  Districts  and  High  Courts  on  a  pre-fixed  date.  In addition,  Section  22B  of  the  LSA  Act  also  provides  for  establishment  of Permanent Lok Adalat by every State Authority to deal with cases of public utility services  at  pre-litigation  stage.  358  Permanent  Lok  Adalats  are  presently functioning in various States & UTs. State wise details is at Annexure - A.
- (c)  and  (d)  No  specific  target  is  fixed  for  referral  or  disposal  of  cases  prior  to organization of any type of Lok Adalat. The details of the cases settled by Lok Adalats during last three years is as below:

## National Lok Adalats:

| Subject         | 2019                | 2019              | 2020                | 2020              | 2021 (upto September, 2021)   | 2021 (upto September, 2021)   |
|-----------------|---------------------|-------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|
| Subject         | Taken up by Benches | Settled/ Disposal | Taken up by Benches | Settled/ Disposal | Taken up by Benches           | Settled/ Disposal             |
| Pre- litigation | 1,35,14,315         | 26,76,483         | 60,36,006           | 12,64,935         | 1,12,71,825                   | 36,65,902                     |
| Pending Cases   | 78,10,672           | 26,16,790         | 51,15,168           | 12,83,433         | 72,34,578                     | 36,36,737                     |
| Total           | 2,13,24,987         | 52,93,273         | 1,11,51,174         | 25,48,368         | 1,85,06,403                   | 73,02,639                     |

## State Lok Adalats:

| Subject        | 2019-20             | 2019-20           | 2020-21             | 2020-21           | 2021-22 (upto October 2021)   | 2021-22 (upto October 2021)   |
|----------------|---------------------|-------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|
|                | Taken up by Benches | Settled/ Disposal | Taken up by Benches | Settled/ Disposal | Taken up by Benches           | Settled/ Disposal             |
| Pre-litigation | 4,44,865            | 79,493            | 2,70,506            | 1,42,549          | 1,40,476                      | 73,496                        |
| Pending Cases  | 10,86,872           | 4,66,258          | 9,88,895            | 6,01,524          | 4,11,406                      | 274,712                       |
| Total          | 15,31,737           | 5,45,751          | 12,59,401           | 7,44,073          | 5,51,882                      | 3,48,208                      |

****

| 03.12.2021 raised by Shri Anubhav Mohanty,MP - Lok Adalats. Statement showing details of Permanent   | 03.12.2021 raised by Shri Anubhav Mohanty,MP - Lok Adalats. Statement showing details of Permanent   | 03.12.2021 raised by Shri Anubhav Mohanty,MP - Lok Adalats. Statement showing details of Permanent     |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| S. No.                                                                                               | SLSA                                                                                                 | Lok Adalats functioning in various States &UTs Permanent Lok Adalats functioning as on September, 2021 |
| 1                                                                                                    | Andaman& Nicobar Islands                                                                             | 0                                                                                                      |
| 2                                                                                                    | Andhra Pradesh                                                                                       | 9                                                                                                      |
| 3                                                                                                    | Arunachal Pradesh                                                                                    | 0                                                                                                      |
| 4                                                                                                    | Assam                                                                                                | 14                                                                                                     |
| 5                                                                                                    | Bihar                                                                                                | 9                                                                                                      |
| 6                                                                                                    | Chhattisgarh                                                                                         | 5                                                                                                      |
| 7                                                                                                    | Dadra &Nagar Haveli                                                                                  | 0                                                                                                      |
| 8                                                                                                    | Daman &Diu                                                                                           | 0                                                                                                      |
| 9                                                                                                    | Delhi                                                                                                | 3                                                                                                      |
| 10                                                                                                   | Goa                                                                                                  | 1                                                                                                      |
| 11                                                                                                   | Gujarat                                                                                              | 4                                                                                                      |
| 12                                                                                                   | Haryana                                                                                              | 21                                                                                                     |
| 13                                                                                                   | Himachal Pradesh                                                                                     | 4                                                                                                      |
| 14                                                                                                   | Jammu &Kashmir                                                                                       | 0                                                                                                      |
| 15                                                                                                   | Jharkhand                                                                                            | 24                                                                                                     |
| 16                                                                                                   | Karnataka                                                                                            | 6                                                                                                      |
| 17                                                                                                   | Kerala                                                                                               | 3                                                                                                      |
| 18                                                                                                   | Lakshadweep                                                                                          | 0                                                                                                      |
| 19                                                                                                   | Madhya Pradesh                                                                                       | 50                                                                                                     |
| 20                                                                                                   | Maharashtra                                                                                          | 4                                                                                                      |
| 21                                                                                                   | Manipur                                                                                              | 0                                                                                                      |
| 22                                                                                                   | Meghalaya                                                                                            | 0                                                                                                      |
| 23                                                                                                   | Mizoram                                                                                              | 2                                                                                                      |
| 24                                                                                                   | Nagaland                                                                                             | 0                                                                                                      |
| 25                                                                                                   | Odisha                                                                                               | 22                                                                                                     |
| 26                                                                                                   | Puducherry                                                                                           | 0                                                                                                      |
| 27                                                                                                   | Punjab                                                                                               | 22                                                                                                     |
| 28                                                                                                   | Rajasthan                                                                                            | 35                                                                                                     |
| 29                                                                                                   | Sikkim                                                                                               | 0                                                                                                      |
| 30                                                                                                   | Tamil Nadu                                                                                           | 32                                                                                                     |
| 31                                                                                                   | Telengana                                                                                            | 6                                                                                                      |
| 32                                                                                                   | Tripura                                                                                              | 6                                                                                                      |
| 33                                                                                                   | Chandigarh                                                                                           | 1                                                                                                      |
| 34                                                                                                   | Uttar Pradesh                                                                                        | 71                                                                                                     |
| 35                                                                                                   | Uttarakhand                                                                                          | 4                                                                                                      |
| 36                                                                                                   | West Bengal                                                                                          | 0                                                                                                      |
|                                                                                                      | Grand Total                                                                                          | 358                                                                                                    |