Police, Courts and Justice in India
Lok Adalats and Alternative Dispute Resolution
How Lok Adalats, mediation and arbitration settle disputes outside regular courts, how many cases they resolve, and their limits.
Not every dispute needs a full court trial.
Lok Adalats
- “People’s courts” set up under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987.
- Settle cases by compromise, with no court fees.
- National Lok Adalats held several times a year settle crores of cases, including traffic challans, bank recovery and motor accident claims.
- Awards are final and can’t be appealed.
Mediation
- A neutral mediator helps parties reach agreement.
- The Mediation Act, 2023 created a legal framework for mediation.
Arbitration
- Parties choose private arbitrators whose decisions are binding.
- Common in commercial contracts.
- India has amended arbitration laws to reduce court interference and delays.
Benefits
- Faster and cheaper.
- Reduces court backlogs.
- Preserves relationships.
Limits
- Parties may accept unfair compromises due to pressure.
- Serious crimes can’t be settled.
- Arbitration can still be costly and challenged in courts.
The traffic challan
At a National Lok Adalat, thousands of pending traffic fines are settled in a single day, clearing cases that would have clogged courts for months.
Thinking every dispute needs a trial
Lok Adalats, mediation and arbitration settle many disputes faster.
Key takeaways
- Lok Adalats settle crores of cases by compromise.
- The Mediation Act, 2023 created a legal framework.
- Arbitration resolves commercial disputes.
- These methods are faster but can pressure weaker parties.
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