Lok Adalat – Sikkim SLSA
Types of Lok Adalat conducted by Sikkim SLSA:
- National Lok Adalat, w.e.f. 23rd November, 2013
- High Court Lok Adalat
- Lok Adalat u/s 19 of the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987
Lok Adalat u/s 19 of the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987
Lok Adalat u/s 19 of the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 is established at the High Court, and District and Taluk Levels of Sikkim. The High Court Lok Adalat was constituted in the year 2000. The Bench of the High Court Lok Adalat comprises of the former Hon’ble Judge as Lok Adalat Judge with ‘Other Persons’.
The District and Taluk Lok Adalat’s was constituted in the year 1998 which comprises of the Ld. District Judge as Lok Adalat Judge with ‘Other Persons’ at the District level and Civil Judge-cum-Judicial Magistrate with ‘Other Persons’ at the Taluk level. The ‘Other Persons’ are nominated as per the criteria laid down under Rule 18 of the Sikkim State Legal Services Authority Rules, 1995.
Cases at pre-litigation and pending litigation stages are filed before the Lok Adalat Benches. All petty criminal cases non-compoundable in nature, traffic violation cases, motor vehicle cases, notification cases, non-FIR cases, complaint cases which are non-compoundable in nature, civil and matrimonial matter and criminal cases are taken up in the Lok Adalat’s. Sincere efforts are made for bringing a conciliatory settlement in every case without bringing about any kind of coercion, threat or undue influence and providing reasonable opportunities to each parties of being heard.
As per Notification No. 19/HCS dated 07.07.2000, if settlement before the Lok Adalat at the first sitting is not achieved, and the Lok Adalat feels that parties should be given further time to make deliberations to arrive at a settlement, adjournment is provided for a period not exceeding one month at a time and no cases are kept pending before Lok Adalat for a period exceeding three months.
As per Circular No.13/SLSA dated 09.05.2001, certified copies of order/awards passed by the Lok Adalat are made available to the parties on the same date free of cost, irrespective of whether the parties have applied for the same.
The applicants are apprised of the significance and the benefits of the Lok Adalat’s and are counselled to take up their cases before Lok Adalat constituted at the various District and Sub-Divisions for settlement of their disputes, which requires no Court fees, no appeal, no lawyer fees and no institutional charges.
As a publicity drive, the Lok Adalat as a form of Alternative Dispute Redressal (ADR) is deliberated during the awareness programme held by the Ld. Judicial Officers. Pamphlets, messages are distributed during such programme, Radio Talks are provided by Panel Advocates every Saturday through A.I.R., Gangtok, titled “Kanuni Kura” and once in a month on Doordarshan titled “Gramin Kariakram” on the topic above.