UPSC Prelims 2010 Q12: Indian Polity – Judiciary
- (a) Lok Adalats have the jurisdiction to settle the matters at pre - litigative stage and not those matters pending before any court
- (b) Lok Adalats can deal with matters which are civil and not criminal in nature
- (c) Every Lok Adalat consists of either serving or retired judicial officers only and not any other person
- (d) None of the statements given above is correct
Answer: (d) None of the statements given above is correct
Explanation
Lok Adalats: finding the correct statement
Lok Adalats are alternative dispute resolution forums under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987.
| Option | Verdict | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| (a) Jurisdiction only at pre-litigative stage, not pending matters | Incorrect | Lok Adalats can handle both pre-litigation disputes and cases already pending before a court, by reference |
| (b) Only civil, not criminal matters | Incorrect | Lok Adalats can also handle certain compoundable criminal cases, not civil matters exclusively |
| (c) Consist only of serving/retired judicial officers | Incorrect | Lok Adalat panels can also include social workers and other eminent persons, not only judicial officers |
| (d) None of the statements given above is correct | Correct | Since (a), (b), and (c) are all inaccurate, this is the correct choice |
Lok Adalat facts:
| Point | Detail |
|---|---|
| Legal basis | Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 |
| Case types | Pre-litigation AND pending cases; civil and compoundable criminal matters |
| Composition | Judicial officers plus social workers/eminent persons |
Answer: (d) None of the statements given above is correct.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Lok Adalats can also handle pending cases referred by a court, not just pre-litigation matters.
- (b) Incorrect. Lok Adalats can also deal with compoundable criminal cases, not just civil ones.
- (c) Incorrect. Panels also include social workers/eminent persons, not exclusively judicial officers.
- (d) CORRECT. Since each of the first three statements contains a factual error, 'none of the above' is the right choice.
Key point
Lok Adalats handle BOTH pre-litigation and pending cases, BOTH civil and compoundable criminal matters, and their panels include social workers/eminent persons alongside judicial officers — all three listed restrictive claims are wrong.
Remember
Lok Adalats: handle pre-litigation AND pending cases, civil AND compoundable criminal matters; panels include social workers, not just judicial officers.
Common mistakes
- Assuming Lok Adalats are restricted to only pre-litigation, only civil, or only judicial-officer-composed panels.
- Missing the broader, more flexible jurisdiction and composition rules under the 1987 Act.
- Not reading each option carefully enough to spot its specific overrestrictive claim.
Exam tip
Lok Adalats are flexible: pre-litigation + pending cases, civil + compoundable criminal, judicial officers + social workers. Any option restricting them to just one category is usually wrong.
Sources
- Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987
- National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) — Lok Adalat functioning guidelines