Lok Sabha Question No. 1677 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-12-16
Subject: e-Lok Adalat
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: Anil Firojiya

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1677

## TO BE ANSWERED ON FRIDAY, THE 16 th DECEMBER, 2022

## e-LOK ADALAT

## 1677. SHRI ANIL FIROJIYA:

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

- (a)  whether  the  Government  proposes  to  promote  the  alternative  dispute resolution in the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c)  the  extent  to  which  e-lokadalat  technique  has  proved useful  along  with the nature of works being undertaken thereunder; and
- (d) the name of the courts in which the above technique is being utilized?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF LAW AND JUSTICE (SHRI KIREN RIJIJU)

(a)  &  (b): Yes  Sir,Lok  Adalat  is  one  of  the  important  Alternative  Disputes Resolution (ADR) Mechanism available to common people. It is a forum where the  disputes/  cases  pending  in  the  court  of  law  or  at  pre-litigation  stage  are settled/  compromised  amicably.    Lok  Adalat  is  primarily  a  'People's  Court' wherein  decisions  are  arrived  at  between  two  or  more  disputing  parties  on mutually  acceptable  terms  amicably.  Under  the  Legal  Services  Authorities (LSA) Act, 1987, an award made by a Lok Adalat is deemed to be a decree of a civil  court  and  is  final  and  binding  on  all  parties  and  no  appeal  lies  against thereto before any court.  In order to reduce the pendency of cases in courts and also to settle the disputes at pre-litigation stage, Lok Adalats are organized by Legal Services Institutions at such intervals as it deems fit.  Lok Adalat is not a permanent establishment.  However, as per Section 19 of the LSA Act, 1987, 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.There are three types of Lok Adalats:-

- (i) National Lok Adalats:

National Lok Adalats are held on a single day in all the Courts of the County, four times in a year.  The dates of the National Lok Adalats are decided by National Legal Services Authority (NALSA)  in the beginning  of  each  calendar  year  and  circulated  to  all  the  State  Legal Services Authorities (SLSAs).  During the COVID pandemic, the Legal Services  Authorities  (LSA)  innovatively  leveraged  technology  and introduced E-Lok Adalat, wherein affected parties could get this matter resolved without physically visiting the venue of the Adalat.

- (ii) State Lok Adalats:

State Lok Adalats are planned and organized by the State Legal Services Authorities within the State.  It may be conducted on weekly, monthly, bimonthly or quarterly basis, as per their specific need.

- (iii) Permanent Lok Adalats:

Permanent  Lok  Adalats  are  conducted  on  daily  basis  or  as  per  the number  of  sittings  decided  per  week.  Presently,  344  Permanent  Lok Adalats are functioning in 37 States/UTs.

(c) & (d): During  the  COVID  pandemic,  the  Legal  Services  Authorities (LSAs)  innovatively leveraged technology  and  introduced  E-Lok  Adalat, wherein  affected  parties  couldget  their  matter  resolved  without  physically visiting the venue of the Adalat.  E-Lok Adalat is a process to settle disputes, combining technology and alternative dispute resolution ('ADR') mechanisms which  offers  a  faster,  transparent  and  accessible  option.  E-Lok  Adalats  have significantly  improved  access  to  justice  for  people  who  would  otherwise  be unable to participate in the Lok Adalats. With Lok Adalats being held virtually, it has become accessible to a large section of the population. E-Lok Adalats are also  cost  effective  as  it  eliminates  the  need  for  organizational  expenses.  As people  can  effectively  participate  from  their  homes  with  the  help  of  internet technology, it has reduced the cost of travel to access the forum. Besides, it also saves time as people do not have to take time off work.The following steps have been  taken  by  most  of  the  Legal  Services  Authorities  to  promote  E-Lok Adalats:-

- (i) Standard Operating Procedures have been formulated
- (ii) Technical training through System Officers has been provided to the Court Staff.
- (iii) Whatsapp Groups are formed for litigants, advocates and respondents for conveying them relevant information and the link for attending elokadalat
- (iv) Video Conferencing Link and Cause list are displayed on the website of the District Courts.

Lok Adalat is being organized in all courts and tribunals defined under section  2(aaa)  of  Legal  Services  Authorities  Act,1987  on  any  holiday  as prescribed by NALSA.  In addition to conventional methods, use of technology is  also  promoted  in almost  all  courts  and  tribunals  which possesses necessary infrastructure for the same.  So far, E-Lok Adalats have been organized in 28 States and UTs namely Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh,  Chandigarh,  Delhi,  Goa,  Gujarat,  Haryana,  Himachal  Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim,  Telangana,  Tripura,  Uttar  Pradesh,  Uttarakhand  and  West  Bengal.  In total,  259.92  lakh  cases  were  taken  up  out  of  which  around  53.38  lakh  cases were  disposed  of.    The  data  of  the  cases  disposed  of  from  June,  2020  to September, 2022 are as under:-

| Pre-Litigation Cases   | Pre-Litigation Cases   | Pending Cases in Courts   | Pending Cases in Courts   | Total    | Total    |
|------------------------|------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|----------|----------|
| Taken Up               | Disposal               | Taken Up                  | Disposal                  | Taken Up | Disposal |
| 16378857               | 3839258                | 9613800                   | 1499042                   | 25992657 | 5338300  |

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