Lok Adalat
A statutory forum for compromise settlement under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 — distinct from arbitration or mediation in that its jurisdiction and effect come from statute, not from an agreement between the parties.
How it works
Eligible matter identified
Only compoundable civil disputes and certain pre-litigation matters qualify.
Reference to Lok Adalat
The matter is referred with the consent of both parties.
Compromise hearing
A panel assists both sides toward a mutually acceptable compromise.
Award
A settlement has the force of a civil court decree and is final — there is no appeal.
Legal basis — read this carefully
Lok Adalat is a statutory mechanism under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, not a contractual one. Adjudix facilitates access to this forum for eligible matters, but does not itself constitute the Lok Adalat — that authority sits with the Legal Services Authorities. An award made in Lok Adalat is final and binding, and no appeal lies against it.
Adjudix Lok Adalat
An Adjudix Lok Adalat can be convened during any ADR proceeding. For a single day, a new ADR professional is engaged; each party submits its confidential settlement proposal to them, and they act as a conciliator, keeping every proposal secret. That secrecy is what makes an out-of-the-box settlement possible — one neither side would have put on the table in open proceedings.
Convene an Adjudix Lok AdalatFrequently Asked Questions
Ready to start a lok adalat case?
File online through the ODR Platform, or meet the Professional Panel who hear these matters.