National Lok Adalat being organised across Arunachal Pradesh by the respective District Legal Services Authorities has become a success in the sense it provides amicable and speedy solutions to a huge number of pre-litigation and pending cases in various courts of the state. Not only in Arunachal, Lok Adalats have been successful all over the country and has added a new chapter to the nation’s justice dispensation system.
It would be easier to understand the concept of Lok Adalat or people’s court if viewed in light of Article 39A of the Constitution which emphasizes that the legal system should be able to deliver justice expeditiously on the basis of equal opportunity and provide free legal aid to ensure that opportunities for securing justice are not denied to any citizen by reasons of economic or other disabilities. It was in this milieu the Legal Services Authorities Act,1987 came into being which paved the way for creation of National, State and District Legal Service Authorities with power to organize Lok Adalats. Conceptualised as an alternative dispute resolution mechanism, the Lok Adalats have emerged as credible forums for settling pending cases or those which are in a pre or post litigation stages.
Since inception, over the years National Lok Adalats conducted by National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) as well as Lok Adalats organized by the State Legal Services Authorities has solved pre-litigation and pending cases, not in thousands and lakhs, but in crores. This amply speaks of the causes of soaring acceptance and popularity of this alternative dispute redressal mechanism. If zero fees is one of the causes of popularity of the Lok Adalats, the other is speed. This duo, along with a host of other solid conveniences have emerged as a boon to the economically weak litigant public.
But it is also true that a large section of our society has no knowledge about their legal services rights due to illiteracy. It is therefore imperative to make them aware about their rights and remedies by providing legal services at their doorstep. If usage of banners, posters and even social media have become inseparable parts of our daily life, then expectedly, they can play influential roles in propagating awareness about legal rights, especially among the poorer sections of society. Likewise research on Lok Adalats can also be undertaken to formulate ways to give them more edge and effectiveness. NGOs would also have to continue with their stellar roles they have played so far.
Just as India has shown the world that democracy is the unputdownable method of societal progress, Lok Adalat with core concepts of negotiations & conciliation via persuasive common sense and humane approach is her great gift to the jurisprudence world.

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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