Why in news?

Due to covid-19 there has been delay in legal cases for which Legal Service authorities have integrated technology in its conventional method and innovated E-Lok Adalats.

E-Lok Adalat

• Online Lok Adalat popularly known as E-Lok Adalat is an innovation of Legal Services Institutions where technology has been used to its maximum advantage and has become a platform to deliver justice at the doorstep of people.
• E- Lok Adalats are also cost effective as it eliminates the need for organizational expenses.

Lok Adalats

• Organized by Legal Services Authorities, Lok Adalats are an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mode wherein pre-litigation and pending cases in the courts are disposed on the basis of amicable settlement without any expense on the part of litigants.
• It is free of cost and expeditious method of bringing litigating parties on the same side and saving them from the rigours of trial under adversarial system of adjudication which is generally perceived to be time consuming, complex and costly.
• Lok Adalats are also instrumental in reducing the burden on arrears of the court disposal of long pending litigation between the parties.
• The first Lok Adalat camp was organized in Gujarat in 1982 as a voluntary and conciliatory agency without any statutory backing for its decisions.
• In view of its growing popularity over time, it was given statutory status under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987.
• The Act makes the provisions relating to the organization and functioning of the Lok Adalats.

Source: Newsonair