(1} Drawing up of the award is merely an administrative act by incorporating the terms of settlement or compromise agreed by parties under the guidance and assistance from Lok Adalat.
(2) When both parties sign or affix their thumb impression and the members of the Lok Adalat countersign it it becomes an award, (see a specimen at Appendix!) Every award of the Lok Adalat shall be categorical and lucid and shall be written in regional language used in the local courts or in English. It shall also contain particulars of the case viz.. case number name of court and names of parties, date of receipt, register number assigned to the case in the permanent Register (maintained as provided under Regulaiion-20) and date of settlement. Wherever the parties are represented by counsel they should also be required to sign the settlement or award before the members of the Lok Adalat affix their signature,
(3) In cases referred to Lok Adalat from a court, it shall be mentioned in the award that the plaintiff or petitioner Is entitled to refund of the court fees remitted.
(4) Where the parties are not accompanied or represented by counsel, the members of the Lok Adalat shall also verify the identity of parties, before recording the settlement.
(5) Member of the Lok Adalat shall ensure that the parties affix their signatures only after fully understanding the terms of settlement arrived at and recorded. The members of the Lok Adalat shall also satisfy themselves about the following before affixing their signatures:
(a) that the terms of settlement are not unreasonable or illegal or one-sided; and
(b) that the parties have entered Into the settlement voluntarily and not on account of any threat, coercion or undue influence.
(6) Members of the Lok Adalat should affix their signatures only in settlement reached before them and should avoid affixing signatures to settlement reached by the parties outside the Lok Adalat with the assistance of some third parties, to ensure that the Lok Adalats are not used by unscrupulous parties to commit fraud, forgery, etc.
(7) Lok Adalat shall not grant any bail or a divorce by mutual consent.
(B) The original award shall form part of the judicial records (in pre-Htigatlon matter, the original award may be kept with the Legal Services Authority or committee, concerned) 6 and a copy of the award shall be given to each of the parties duly certifying them to be true by the officer designated by the Member-Secretary gr Secretary of the High Court Legal Services Committee or District Legal Services Authority or, as the case may be, the Chairman of Taluk Legal Services Committees free of cost and the official seal of the Authority concerned or Committee shall be affixed on all awards.
18. Confidentiality —
(1) The members of the Lok Adalat and the parties shall keep confidential all matters relating to the proceedings in the Lok Adalat and the members of the Lok Adalat shall not be compelled to discfose the matter which took place in the Lok Adalat proceedings before any court of law, except where such disclosure is necessary for purposes of implementation and enforcement of the award.
(2) The views expressed and discussions made by parties during the proceedings of Lok Adalat in respect of the possible settlement of a dispute and the proposals made by the members of Lok Adalat or admission made by any party or the conduct of the parlies in the course of the proceeding before Lok Adalat shall not be brought in evidence or made use of in other court or arbitral proceedings,
(3) Members of the Lok Adalat shall not record the statement of any of the parties or record any conduct of the parties or express any opinion in such a manner as it would prejudice such party in any other proceedings before a court or arbitrator.
(4) If any member of the Lok Adalat violates the confidentiality and the ethical concerns which are akin to any other judicial proceedings, such member shall be removed from the panel of members of Lok Adalat.