Special National Lok Adalat Held in Kalimpong

Kalimpong, March 14, 2026: A Special National Lok Adalat was organized today by the District Legal Services Authority, Kalimpong, at the premises of the Kalimpong Court, where a significant number of disputes relating to telephone bills and bank loans were heard and resolved through amicable settlements.

The Lok Adalat bench was presided over by Ditti Bhattacharya, Judicial Magistrate First Class, District Court, Kalimpong, along with Jiwan Sharma, Ld. Advocate and member of the Kalimpong District Bar Association.

During the proceedings, 240 cases related to disputes involving Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) were listed. Out of these, 65 consumers appeared before the Lok Adalat bench for hearing, and 59 cases were successfully settled and disposed of. A large number of these matters involved telephone bills dating back to 2007, which had remained unresolved for many years.

Consumers from distant areas such as Jholung and Gairibas attended the Lok Adalat with the hope of settling their long-pending BSNL telephone bill disputes. Most of these matters were resolved through negotiated settlements, where concessions and discounts were offered on the total outstanding dues, enabling the consumers to close their cases peacefully.

Apart from the BSNL cases, eight banking disputes were also taken up for hearing, of which five cases were resolved successfully. These included one case related to Slice Small Finance Bank, two cases involving Bank of India, and one case concerning Bank of Maharashtra.

In addition to the above, 34 MNGR cases and 92 NGR pending cases were also disposed of during the Lok Adalat proceedings.

Lok Adalat is one of the most important Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms in India, designed to promote speedy and amicable settlement of disputes. It provides a forum where cases pending before courts or disputes at the pre-litigation stage can be resolved through mutual compromise, thereby reducing the burden on courts and ensuring quicker justice.

Lok Adalats have been granted statutory status under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987. Under this Act, the award or decision made by a Lok Adalat is deemed to be a decree of a civil court, making it final and binding on all parties involved. Importantly, no appeal can be filed against such an award in any court of law.

However, if the parties involved are dissatisfied with the outcome of the settlement, they retain the right to initiate litigation by approaching the appropriate court and filing a case in accordance with the prescribed legal procedure.

Another notable advantage of the Lok Adalat system is that no court fee is payable for cases filed before a Lok Adalat. Moreover, if a case already pending in a court is referred to a Lok Adalat and subsequently settled, the court fee originally paid is refunded to the parties, making the process both economical and accessible.

The individuals who decide cases in Lok Adalats are known as Members of the Lok Adalat. Their role is primarily that of statutory conciliators rather than judges. Instead of delivering conventional judgments, they facilitate dialogue between the parties and encourage them to arrive at a mutually acceptable settlement without coercion or pressure.

The decision in a Lok Adalat is therefore based solely on the compromise or settlement reached between the disputing parties.

Any case pending before a court of law, or any dispute that has not yet been filed in court but is likely to be filed, may be referred to a Lok Adalat for settlement. However, offences that are not compoundable under the law cannot be settled in a Lok Adalat.

At the district level, the Secretary of the District Legal Services Authority constitutes the benches for Lok Adalats. Typically, each bench consists of a sitting or retired judicial officer along with members from the legal profession, social workers, or para-legal volunteers. Efforts are also made to include a woman representative actively engaged in legal aid and social justice initiatives, ensuring inclusive and community-oriented dispute resolution.