Study the picture and answer the following questions:

(a) Identify the court whose logo is given in the picture on the right. How do these courts function?

(b) What are the advantages of resolution of disputes through Lok Adalats?

(c) Do you think that these courts play an important role as an alternative dispute resolution mechanism? Give your reasons.

(a) The given picture shows the logo of Lok Adalats.

1. Lok Adalat means 'People's Court'.
2. It is an alternative dispute redressal mechanism where disputes/cases pending in the court of law or at pre-litigation stage are settled amicably.
3. There is no court fee payable when a matter is filed in a Lok Adalat.
4. The Legal Services Authorities Act, (1987) provides that State or district authorities shall organise Lok Adalats from time to time.
5. All decisions of the Lok Adalats shall be deemed to be decrees of a Civil Court and shall be binding on the parties to the dispute.
6. Main condition of the Lok Adalat is that both parties in a dispute should agree for a settlement.
7. Voluntary organisations organise such courts in places like factories, farms, commercial complexes and neighbourhood of the litigants to settle disputes in a spirit of harmony and compromise.
8. Cases are settled informally and cordially with the involvement of conflicting parties.
9. Lok Adalats also resolve cases which have not yet gone to any court.

(b) The advantages of resolution of disputes through Lok Adalats are-

1. Lok Adalats play important role in the settlement of family feuds, disputes between the neighbours and minor cases of assault and injury by settling the disputes through compromise. Since the Lok Adalats work in the spirit of compromise and understanding, both the parties feel satisfied.
2. Lok Adalats deliver fast and inexpensive justice. Any person can move Lok Adalat by an application on a plain paper or using the format available with Legal Service Authorities and expect speedy justice.
3. The Lok Adalats reduce the workload of other courts enabling them to deal with more serious matters. This reduces delays in higher courts.
4. Lok Adalats promote social justice by providing legal aid to weaker sections of society.

(c) The system of Lok Adalats has now become so popular that various government departments like the Telephone Department, Traffic and the Electricity Boards have begun to hold Lok Adalats solving hundreds of cases in a single day.

1. It is the need of the hour that Lok Adalats are organised more frequently and their jurisdiction is expanded.
2. There are lakhs of cases pending in different courts all over India.
3. These courts can play important role in the settlement of family feuds, disputes between the neighbours and minor cases of assault and injury.
4. Weaker sections of society cannot afford the delay or the costs involved in court procedures.
5. The institution of Lok Adalat tends to promote social justice as in Delhi where permanent Lok Adalats have already been set up for settlement of all pending disputes concerning Delhi Development Authority, Mahanagar Telephone Nigam, Municipal Corporation and National Insurance Co. Ltd.

All these points firmly indicate the importance of Lok Adalats as an alternative dispute resolution mechanism.