The NALSA has announced the dates for the 4th National Lok Adalat to be held on 09th December 2023. The First Lok Adalat of this year was held on 09th February, the Second was held on 13th May and the Third Lok Adalat was held on 09th September this year.

Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud is the Parton-in-Chief of NALSA and Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul is the Executive Chairman of NALSA.

Lok Adalats are held by NALSA and other Legal Services Institutions. Lok Adalat is one of the alternative dispute resolution procedures; it is a place where disputes/cases pending in court of law or at the pre-litigation stage are amicably settled/compromise. The Legal Services Authorities Act of 1987 established Lok Adalats as statutory entities. The award (decision) rendered by the Lok Adalats is deemed to be a civil court judgment and is final and binding on all parties under the aforementioned Act, and no appeal against such an award lies before any court of law.

Although there is no provision for an appeal against a Lok Adalat award, the parties are free to initiate litigation by approaching the court of appropriate jurisdiction by filing a case by following the required procedure, in exercise of their right to litigate.

When a case is filed before a Lok Adalat, there is no court fee to pay. If a matter pending in a court of law is referred to the Lok Adalat and is later settled, the court money paid at the court on the complaints/petition is also refunded to the parties.

Members of Lok Adalats decide cases; they have the role of statutory conciliators only and no judicial role; thus, they can only persuade the parties to come to a conclusion for settling the dispute outside the court in the Lok Adalat and shall not pressurize or coerce any of the parties to compromise or settle cases or matters, either directly or indirectly.

The Lok Adalat will not decide the cases at its own initiative, but rather on the basis of a compromise or settlement reached between the parties. The members shall help the parties in their attempt to seek an equitable settlement of their dispute in an unbiased and impartial way.