Orissa High Court Permanent and Continuous Lok Adalat Scheme, 2003

Published vide Notification No. S.R.O. No. 655/2003, 4th November 2003, O.G.E. No. 1784 dated 20.11.2003

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Orissa State Legal Services Authority

Cantonment Road, Cuttack

S.R.O. No.655/2003. - In exercise of the powers conferred by Section 7 (1) of the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, the Orissa State Legal Services Authority do hereby give effect to the enclosed "The Orissa High Court Permanent & Continuous Lok Adalat Scheme, 2003" duly approved in the Full Court meeting of the Hon'ble High Court.

CHAPTER I

Short title.- This Scheme may be called the "Orissa High Court Permanent and Continuous Lok Adalat Scheme, 2003".
Definitions.- In this Scheme unless the context otherwise require,

(a) "Act" means the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 (No. 39 of 1987);

(b) "Chairman" means the Chairman of the Orissa High Court Legal Services Committee;

(d) "Patron-in-Chief" means the Chief Justice of Orissa High Court;

(e) "State Authority" means Orissa State Legal Services Authority constituted under Section 6 of the Act;

(f) "Chief Justice" means the Chief Justice of Orissa High Court;

(g) "Lok Adalat" means Permanent and Continuous Lok Adalat under the Scheme.

CHAPTER II

Procedure for organizing Lok Adalat

The Committee shall organize Lok Adalats as and when it thinks proper. To begin with Lok Adalat sitting shall be held at least once in a month on a Saturday.
The Secretary of the Committee shall issue notices to the parties of the case for their consent to get the case decided by the Lok Adalat.
The Chief Justice or any other Judge may refer cases to the Lok Adalat along with the record of the case for settlement. The Secretary of the Committee shall also prepare the list of such cases in which parties have consented to get their cases disposed of through Lok Adalat.
The number of sittings shall be worked out by the Lok Adalat depending upon the workload in consultation with the Committee.

CHAPTER III

Composition of Lok Adalat

The Secretary of the Committee shall with the approval of the Chief Justice or any other Judge so authorized by him constitute Benches of the Lok Adalats.
Every Lok Adalat organised by the Committee shall consist of Serving or retired Judges of the High Court.
The Patron-in-Chief with the consultation of the Executive Chairman of the State Authority may prepare a panel and nominate the retired Judges as members of the Lok Adalat.
The Patron-in-Chief may nominate the sitting Judge of the High Court with the consultation of Chairman as and when he thinks it proper.

CHAPTER IV

Maintenance of the Records

The Secretary of the Committee shall be responsible for safe custody of the records of the Lok Adalat.
The secretary of the Committee shall maintain a Register of the Lok Adalat giving particulars of the,-

(i) Date of the receipts;

(ii) Category and subject wise nature of the case;

(iii) Details of the parties;

(iv) Such other particulars, as may be deemed necessary; and

(v) Date of settlement and return of the case file;

(vi) When the case is finally disposed of by the Lok Adalat, result of the case will be entered in the register.

CHAPTER V

Functioning of Lok Adalat

The Secretary of the Committee may prepare a cause list for each Bench of the Lok Adalat and the same shall be duly notified to all concerned.
Every Award or Order of the Lok Adalat shall be signed by the members constituting the Lok Adalat.
The original award or order shall form part of the judicial records and a copy of the award or order shall be given to each of the parties duly certified by the Secretary of the Committee.
The parties of the dispute shall be required to sign or affix their thumb impression as the case may be, on the award or order of the Lok Adalat.
The members of the Bench of the Lok Adalat shall be entitled to honorarium at the rate as may be fixed by the State Authority.
The Secretary of the Committee shall submit monthly statements of the Lok Adalats to the State Authority.