In short. A Lok Adalat in Delhi is a forum where a pending court case or a dispute not yet filed is settled by agreement, and the settlement is recorded as an award that works like a court decree. It suits cheque bounce, accident claim, bank dues, money, property and many family disputes where both sides are willing to compromise. The sitting itself takes a day. There is no appeal from the award, and court fee paid is refunded. If you want to try, apply through the court hearing your case or the legal services authority before the next Lok Adalat.
Is this your situation?
- Your cheque bounce case has dragged on for years and the accused now seems ready to pay.
- You received a notice from a Lok Adalat about a credit card or personal loan due and do not know whether to go.
- Your motor accident claim or the insurer's appeal is pending and a settlement offer has been mentioned.
- You have a money or property dispute pending in a Delhi court and both sides want to end it.
- You want to clear old traffic challans at a Lok Adalat in Delhi.
- Your appeal is pending in the Delhi High Court and the other side has hinted at a compromise.
- You signed a Lok Adalat settlement and now think it was unfair, or the other side has not paid.
Key points
- A Lok Adalat only records settlements. It does not decide who is right; if the parties do not agree, the case goes back to court from the stage it was at.
- The award is final and works like a decree. Under Section 21 of the Legal Services Authorities Act 1987, a settlement award is binding, cannot be appealed and can be executed like a civil court decree.
- Court fee is refunded. When a referred case settles in a Lok Adalat, the court fee paid is refunded in the manner provided under the Court Fees Act.
- Non-compoundable offences are excluded. A Lok Adalat cannot settle a case about an offence that the law does not allow to be compounded.
- Read the default clause before you sign. Most problems after a Lok Adalat come from vague payment terms, not from the settlement itself.
What a Lok Adalat is, and what it is not
A Lok Adalat is a bench set up under the Legal Services Authorities Act 1987 to help parties settle disputes by compromise. It usually has a serving or retired judicial officer and one or two other members, such as a lawyer or a social worker. It sits for a day, takes up many cases, and records settlements where the parties reach one.
It is not a court that decides cases on merits. The Supreme Court made this clear in State of Punjab v. Jalour Singh (2008): a Lok Adalat has no power to adjudicate. If the parties do not agree, it cannot pass an order against either of them, and the case returns to the court where it was pending, to continue from the stage it had reached. Nothing is lost by trying, except a day.
Equally, a Lok Adalat should not pressure anyone into settling. The Supreme Court has cautioned against Lok Adalats acting as if they were courts or pushing parties into compromise. A party who does not want to settle can say so and leave. A settlement that was not genuinely agreed can later be challenged, as explained below.
The value of a Lok Adalat lies in what follows a settlement: an award that is final, binding and enforceable like a decree, with no appeal, and a refund of court fee. For a dispute where both sides already want to end it, that is a fast and cheap way to close a case.
Lok Adalat in Delhi: who organises it and where
Lok Adalats in Delhi are organised by the Delhi State Legal Services Authority (DSLSA) and the District Legal Services Authorities, which sit in each of Delhi's district court complexes: Tis Hazari, Saket, Patiala House, Karkardooma, Rohini, Dwarka and Rouse Avenue. For cases pending in the Delhi High Court, the Delhi High Court Legal Services Committee organises Lok Adalat benches at the High Court. Our page on the Delhi High Court explains what is heard there.
The best known is the National Lok Adalat, organised across the country on the same day by the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA). These are held about four times a year. For 2026, the dates announced were 14 March, 9 May, 12 September and 12 December. Delhi's dates are sometimes moved for local reasons, as happened with the September 2026 sitting, so check the current notice from DSLSA before planning.
Besides National Lok Adalats, legal services authorities hold special and regular Lok Adalats for particular kinds of cases, such as motor accident claims, bank recovery, electricity bills or traffic challans. Some are held online. The Supreme Court has also held special Lok Adalats for its own pending cases.
This is a private law firm website. Notices of Lok Adalat dates, registration links and the categories of cases being taken up are published by NALSA, DSLSA and the court concerned, and those official notices are what you should rely on.
Which cases can be settled in a Lok Adalat?
Any civil case, and any criminal case about a compoundable offence, pending in a court can be referred to a Lok Adalat. Disputes not yet in court, called pre-litigation matters, can also be taken up. In practice, the cases most often settled in Lok Adalats in Delhi are cheque bounce complaints under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, motor accident claims and the insurers' appeals, bank and finance company recovery matters, money suits, partition and property disputes where the family has reached terms, rent disputes, electricity and water bill disputes, labour matters, and land acquisition compensation cases.
Family disputes are often settled too, with care about what a Lok Adalat can and cannot do. It can record a settlement on maintenance, return of streedhan, custody arrangements or the withdrawal of cases. A divorce itself still needs a decree from the family court, and a pending FIR under cruelty provisions cannot be closed by a Lok Adalat. Our guide on settling family disputes through Delhi High Court mediation covers the alternative route for those cases.
The exclusion that matters most is in Section 19(5) of the Act: a Lok Adalat has no jurisdiction over any case or matter relating to an offence that is not compoundable under any law. Cheating under Section 318 BNS (old Section 420 IPC), cruelty under Sections 85 and 86 BNS (old Section 498A IPC) and many other common FIRs are not compoundable, or only partly so. A settlement in those cases has to be taken to the High Court, which can quash the proceedings on settlement under Section 528 BNSS (old Section 482 CrPC). Our page on quashing a case after compromise explains that route.
Appeals pending in the Delhi High Court can also be referred, for example motor accident appeals, money appeals and some service and pension matters. If both sides want to try, ask the court to refer the matter to the Lok Adalat on the next available date.
Lok Adalat for cases pending in the Delhi High Court
Cases pending in the Delhi High Court reach a Lok Adalat through the Delhi High Court Legal Services Committee. The bench hearing your appeal or petition can refer it, on a joint request or on one party's application, and the committee lists it on the next Lok Adalat date at the High Court. The matters most often referred are motor accident appeals filed by insurers or claimants, money and recovery appeals, land acquisition compensation appeals and some service and pension disputes in which the amount is the only real issue.
A High Court appeal settled in a Lok Adalat ends there. The award replaces the decree under appeal to the extent of the settlement, and the appeal is disposed of. If the trial court's decree had been stayed on a deposit, the award should say how that deposit is to be dealt with, for example released to the decree holder towards the settled amount, so that a separate application is not needed later.
Where the dispute is in a writ petition against a government body, a Lok Adalat settlement is possible only if the department's representative has authority to agree. Ask the standing counsel well before the date whether instructions to settle have been obtained, because a representative who arrives without approval cannot sign, and the day is wasted.
Lok Adalat, mediation and court compared
| Point | Lok Adalat | Court-referred mediation | Court trial or hearing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who decides | No one; the parties agree and the bench records it | No one; a mediator helps the parties agree | The judge decides on merits |
| Time | One sitting, after a few weeks' wait for a date | Several sessions over weeks or months | Months to years |
| Result | Award deemed a decree, final, no appeal | Settlement placed before the court, which passes a decree or order on it | Judgment and decree, subject to appeal |
| Court fee | Refunded on settlement of a referred case | Refunded on settlement under Section 16, Court Fees Act | Not refunded |
| Suited to | Clear money disputes, standard claims, cases where terms are close | Complex or emotional disputes needing time to talk | Disputes where the facts or law are genuinely contested |
| Non-compoundable offences | Excluded | Settlement possible, but quashing needs the High Court | Trial continues unless quashed |
The settlement award: what it does once signed
A settlement award is the written record of the compromise, signed by the parties or their authorised representatives and by the members of the Lok Adalat. Under Section 21 of the Act, every award is deemed to be a decree of a civil court, and it is final and binding on all the parties. No appeal lies to any court against it.
That deemed decree can be executed like any other. The Supreme Court held in K.N. Govindan Kutty Menon v. C.D. Shaji (2012) that this applies even when a criminal court referred a cheque bounce case to the Lok Adalat: the award is executable as a civil decree. If the other side does not pay as agreed, you file an execution petition before the court with jurisdiction, as you would for a decree after trial. Our page on execution of decrees in the Delhi High Court explains that process.
Because there is no appeal, the time to get the terms right is before signing. When Advocate B.K. Singh attends a Lok Adalat with a client, he insists that the award states the amount, the dates of each instalment, the mode of payment and what happens on default, in plain words, and that any withdrawal of other cases is listed by case number. A vague award is the commonest reason clients come back to court later.
Court fee is refunded under Section 21(1) of the Act when a case referred to the Lok Adalat by a court is settled there. Ask for the refund certificate when the award is recorded, and keep the original e-court fee receipts. Our guide on court fees in the Delhi High Court explains how refunds work.
How to get your case before a Lok Adalat in Delhi
The route depends on whether your case is already in court. These are the usual steps for a pending case; pre-litigation matters follow a similar path through the legal services authority.
Talk to the other side, through lawyers if needed
A Lok Adalat works best when both sides already lean towards settling. Find out whether the other side is willing, and roughly on what terms.
Apply for reference
Ask the court where the case is pending to refer it to the Lok Adalat, jointly if possible. One party can apply alone; the court refers it if it sees a chance of settlement, after hearing the other side. For a pre-litigation dispute, apply to the District Legal Services Authority or the High Court Legal Services Committee.
Receive the date and notice
The authority fixes a date, often a National Lok Adalat, and sends notice. Some authorities hold pre-sitting meetings to narrow the issues.
Prepare your figures and papers
Work out the amount you will accept or pay, the payment schedule and the conditions. Bring ID, case papers and authority letters for companies.
Attend the sitting
Both parties, or their authorised representatives, appear before the bench. If terms are agreed, the award is drawn up and signed the same day.
Follow through
Collect a copy of the award, apply for the court fee refund certificate, and calendar each payment date. If there is no settlement, the case goes back to the regular court on its next date.
If you received a Lok Adalat notice from a bank about a loan or card due, it is not a court summons. Attending gives you a chance to settle; not attending does not make you liable for anything new, though the bank may then file a case or pursue other recovery.
Timeline and cost of a Lok Adalat settlement
| Stage | Typical time | Cost in general terms |
|---|---|---|
| Application for reference | Any time before the cut-off for the next Lok Adalat | No fee for reference |
| Notice and pre-sitting meetings | Two to six weeks before the sitting | None |
| Lok Adalat sitting | One day; long queues on National Lok Adalat days | None; your own lawyer's attendance if you engage one |
| Award and copy | Award signed the same day; copy within days | Copying charges, if any |
| Court fee refund | Weeks to a few months after the certificate | Refund of court fee paid in a referred case |
| Payment under the award | As agreed in the award | As agreed |
| Execution, if the other side defaults | Months, depending on assets | Court fee and costs of execution as applicable |
What to bring to the Lok Adalat
For everyone
- Original photo ID and a copy
- Case number, court and next date
- Copy of the notice from the legal services authority
- Note of the terms you are willing to accept
Money and cheque bounce cases
- Statement of the amount due with interest
- Copies of cheques, return memos and legal notice
- Bank details for receiving payment
- Demand draft or payment proof if paying on the day
Companies, banks and firms
- Board resolution or authority letter for the person attending
- Written approval of the settlement figure
- Loan account statement, in bank matters
- Draft terms with default clause
Accident and family matters
- Claim petition and award or order under appeal
- Insurer's offer in writing, if any
- List of streedhan or maintenance terms, if relevant
- Details of every connected case to be withdrawn
A made-up example: the Dwarka cheque bounce case settled in instalments
Here's a made-up example. A hardware dealer in Dwarka gave goods on credit to a contractor, who paid with a cheque for Rs 6 lakh that bounced. The dealer filed a complaint under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act in the Dwarka courts. Three years later, with the trial still at the evidence stage, the contractor's lawyer suggests a settlement.
Both sides apply, and the magistrate refers the case to the next National Lok Adalat. Before the day, the dealer's lawyer prepares a note: Rs 6 lakh principal, a reasonable sum towards interest and costs, and a schedule. At the sitting, the parties agree on Rs 6.6 lakh in four monthly instalments by bank transfer. The award records the dates, says that on default of any instalment the full balance becomes payable at once and can be recovered by execution, and records that the complaint stands compounded.
The contractor pays three instalments and misses the fourth. Because the complaint was compounded, there is no criminal case left to revive. The dealer files an execution petition on the award for the balance, as a civil decree, and recovers it after attachment of the contractor's bank account.
The dealer later said the settlement was worth it: three years of trial had produced nothing, and the Lok Adalat produced most of the money in four months. But he also understood what he had given up, which was the pressure of a pending criminal case.
Cheque bounce, bank dues and traffic challans: points specific to each
Cheque bounce cases are among the most settled in Delhi's Lok Adalats. Settlement leads to compounding under Section 147 of the Negotiable Instruments Act and the end of the criminal case. As the example shows, the complainant gains speed but gives up the criminal pressure, so insist on a clear default clause or, better, payment on the day. The Supreme Court has also revised its guidance on compounding costs in cheque bounce cases in recent years, so ask what costs apply at your stage. Our guide on compounding or quashing a cheque bounce case explains the options, and our sister site on cheque bounce cases goes into trial-court practice in more detail.
Bank and card dues usually come as pre-litigation notices before a National Lok Adalat. Banks often send a representative authorised to offer a one-time settlement. Advocate B.K. Singh's advice to borrowers is to ask the bank, a few days before the sitting, for its settlement figure in writing, and to compare it with the loan statement, so that the decision on the day is not made in a crowded hall on a number heard for the first time. Make sure the award or settlement letter says that the account will be closed and reported as settled.
Traffic challan Lok Adalats in Delhi are very popular, and slots are usually booked online through the official link published before each sitting. Only certain challans are taken up; serious offences such as drunk driving are generally excluded. Check the notice for the categories covered and carry the challan printout and vehicle papers.
Motor accident claims are a different case. The insurer's offer is usually based on its own calculation of income and dependency. A claimant should compare that offer with what the tribunal or the High Court is likely to award, including interest, before accepting.
Can a Lok Adalat award be challenged?
Only in narrow circumstances. Because the award is final and no appeal lies, the Supreme Court has held, in Bhargavi Constructions v. Kothakapu Muthyam Reddy (2018) and later cases, that the remedy against a Lok Adalat award is a writ petition under Article 226 or Article 227 of the Constitution, not a fresh civil suit or an appeal. The grounds are limited: the award was obtained by fraud, a party did not actually consent, the person who signed had no authority, or the Lok Adalat in effect decided the case instead of recording a genuine settlement.
Changing your mind is not a ground. Nor is a feeling that you could have got more by going to trial. A party who signed the award with full knowledge of its terms is bound by it. Courts are slow to disturb Lok Adalat awards, because the whole system depends on their finality.
If you believe an award was recorded without your consent, or someone signed on your behalf without authority, act quickly. Collect the award, the order sheet and any evidence of what happened on the day, and take advice on a writ petition before the Delhi High Court. Delay weakens such a challenge.
Where the other side breaches the award, the remedy is execution, not a challenge. File an execution petition in the court that would have jurisdiction over a decree of that kind.
When a Lok Adalat is not the right place
A Lok Adalat suits disputes where both sides want to settle and the terms are within reach. It is a poor choice where the other side is only using the date to delay, where the dispute turns on a serious question of law, or where you need a court's finding, for instance a declaration of title against the world.
It is also not a substitute for legal advice. On a busy National Lok Adalat day, benches handle dozens of matters, and the pace can be quick. If you do not understand a term, ask for time. A settlement can wait for the next date; a bad award cannot be undone.
If you cannot afford a lawyer for the Lok Adalat or the case behind it, you may be eligible for free legal services from the legal services authority itself. Our guide on free legal aid for a Delhi High Court case explains who qualifies.
For High Court appeals and disputes needing more than one sitting, court-referred mediation may work better. Our guide on Samadhan, the Delhi High Court Mediation and Conciliation Centre explains how that works.
Mistakes people make at Lok Adalats
- Signing without a default clause. If instalments are missed, the award should say what follows. Without it, enforcing becomes harder.
- Settling a non-compoundable FIR there. A Lok Adalat cannot close it. The settlement must go to the High Court for quashing.
- Forgetting connected cases. List every case to be withdrawn, with case numbers, so none survives the settlement.
- Sending someone without authority. A company's or family member's representative must carry written authority, or the award may be questioned.
- Accepting a figure heard for the first time on the day. Ask for the offer in writing in advance where you can.
- Not claiming the court fee refund. It is your money; ask for the certificate when the award is recorded.
What to do this week
- Check the date of the next National Lok Adalat or special Lok Adalat on the official DSLSA or NALSA notice.
- Ask your lawyer whether your case involves only compoundable offences or civil claims that a Lok Adalat can settle.
- Find out whether the other side is willing, and on what rough terms.
- Apply to the court or legal services authority for reference before the cut-off date.
- Prepare your figures, payment schedule and a draft default clause.
- Gather ID, case papers, authority letters and e-court fee receipts for the refund.
Getting advice before you settle
A Lok Adalat can close in a day what years of litigation have not, but only if the terms are right and the case is one it can settle. Get advice on what you are giving up, what the award must say and how you will enforce it if the other side defaults. For cases pending at the High Court, our page on the Delhi High Court explains the wider procedure.
For advice on your papers before a Lok Adalat, or for updates on the law, contact Advocate B.K. Singh.
Frequently asked questions
When is the next National Lok Adalat in Delhi?
National Lok Adalats are held about four times a year; the last one scheduled for 2026 is on 12 December 2026. Delhi's dates are sometimes moved, so check the current notice from the Delhi State Legal Services Authority. Apply for reference well before the cut-off.
Is a Lok Adalat award binding?
Yes. Under Section 21 of the Legal Services Authorities Act, the award is deemed a civil court decree, final and binding on all parties. No appeal lies against it.
Can I appeal against a Lok Adalat award?
No appeal lies. An award can be challenged only by a writ petition on narrow grounds such as fraud or lack of genuine consent. Changing your mind is not a ground.
Can a 498A or cheating case be settled in Lok Adalat?
Not fully. A Lok Adalat cannot deal with offences that are not compoundable. A settlement in such cases has to be placed before the High Court, which can quash the FIR on settlement under Section 528 BNSS.
Do I have to go if I get a Lok Adalat notice from a bank?
It is not a court summons, and you are not penalised for not going. Attending gives you a chance to negotiate a settlement. If you do not settle, the bank may pursue other recovery steps.
What happens if the other side does not pay after a Lok Adalat settlement?
You can execute the award like a civil court decree by filing an execution petition. This applies even when a criminal court referred the case, such as a cheque bounce complaint. The criminal case does not revive.
Do I get my court fee back after a Lok Adalat settlement?
Yes, when a case referred by a court is settled in the Lok Adalat, the court fee paid is refunded under the Court Fees Act. Ask for the refund certificate and keep the original receipts.
What is a Permanent Lok Adalat?
It is a standing body under Section 22B of the Act for disputes about public utility services such as transport, telecom, electricity, water, hospitals and insurance, up to a set value limit. Unlike a regular Lok Adalat, it can decide the dispute on merits if the parties do not settle.
Advocate B.K. Singh
Founder of B.K. Singh & Associates. MCA, LL.B., LL.M. More than twenty years in practice before the Supreme Court, the Delhi High Court, Delhi district courts and tribunals. This guide was written and reviewed by his team.
This guide explains the law in general terms and is not legal advice. For advice on your own papers, contact the team.
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