Lok Adalat has no Jurisdiction to Decide Matter on Merits

Recently, the Supreme Court of India ruled that the ‘Lok Adalats’, organised across the country to dispose of cases, do not have jurisdiction to go into merits of the matter as it is meant to arrive at a compromise or settlement between the parties in a dispute.

• The judgment was passed on an appeal filed by the Estate Officer challenging the 2013 order passed by the Madhya Pradesh High Court by which in a Lok Adalat, the members of the Lok Adalat has entered into the merits of the writ petition and has dismissed the case on merits.

What Supreme ....