A person shall not be qualified to be included in the Bench of Lok Adalat unless he is-
(a) an eminent Social Worker who is engaged in the upliftment of the weaker sections of the people, including Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Women, Children, Rural and Urban Labour; or
(b) a lawyer of standing; or
(c) a person of repute who is specially interested in the implementation of the legal services schemes and programmes.
+ Amended vide Notification in G.O.Ms.No.6/2014-LD dated 07.02.2014.
++Amended vide Notification in G.O.Ms.No.17/2012-LD dated 10.04.2012.
14 +[33. Award of Lok Adalat.- (1) Every award of the Lok Adalat shall be deemed to be a decree of the Civil Court or, as the case may be, an order of any other Court and where a compromise or settlement has been arrived at by a Lok Adalat in a case referred to it under sub-section(1) of section 20 of the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, the court fee paid in such case shall be refunded in full, in the manner provided under the Puducherry Court Fees and Suits Valuation Act, 1972.
(2) Every award made by a Lok Adalat shall be final and binding on all the parties to the dispute and no appeal shall lie to any court against the award.
(3) The awards passed by the Lok Adalats in respect of pending cases shall be executable by the courts in which these matters were pending prior to the passing of the awards by the Lok Adalats.
(4) However, the awards passed by the Lok Adalats regarding matters at prelitigative stage shall be executable through the Court of District Judge/Additional District Judge of the District in which the Lok Adalats is held].
(By order of the Lieutenant-Governor) ___________ + Inserted vide Notification in G.O.Ms.No.31/2007-LD dated 15.11.2007.