Abstract

Lok-Adalat has emerged as a justice centric forum providing expeditious, economical, and amicable justice through informal procedures where it is not bound by formal procedural and evidence law that circumvent legal technicalities. This examines the historical genesis and developmental history of Lok-Adalat within the Indian legal framework. A comprehensive assessment has been established by data regarding the potential efficacy of Lok-Adalat as an instrument of Alternative Dispute Resolution. The juridical analysis extends to the legal validity of Lok-Adalat awards and the grounds upon which such awards may be subject to judicial review. The comprehensive examination herein provides substantive insights into Lok-Adalat's potential contribution to the existing judicial framework, which is currently encumbered with substantial litigation backlog. The paper articulates the imperative need for adaptations to the Lok-Adalat framework to address the evolving requirements of economically disadvantaged litigants.

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