Lok Adalat and Access to Justice in India
This article examines Lok Adalats, India's "people's courts", and asks whether they provide access to justice for the poor. It covers how they are organised, their jurisdiction, and how awards are made under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987. It then sets out their advantages: procedural flexibility, no court fees, final and binding awards, and preserved relationships between parties. It also identifies weaknesses, including enforcement through civil courts and the exclusion of non-compoundable offences. It distinguishes "access" to justice (a forum to approach) from access to "justice" (a fair outcome), and concludes that Lok Adalats succeed on the first but are doubtful on the second, because poor litigants may settle out of necessity rather than choice.
