AGARTAL, March 14 (TIWN): The monthly National Lok Adalat would be held on 14 March next at the premises of High Court of Tripura. The Lok Adalat is organized by Legal Service Providers of West Tripura District. During the aforesaid day, 5 courts will be opened up. One, two and third number court at Sadar, fourth number court at Jirania and fifth number court at Mohanpur. It would start from 10 AM in the morning. During the Lok Adalat around 100 land acquisitions would be taken up for on spot settlement. The desirous parties who are willing to get their disputes settled through this Lok Adalat, have been asked to approach court authorities before the fixed date- says the District Secretary of the Legal service providers of West Tripura.

Lok Adalat is a system of alternative dispute resolution developed in India. It roughly means "People's court". India has had a long history of resolving disputes through the mediation of village elders. The system of Lok Adalats is based on the principles of the Panch Kameshwar of Gram Panchayats which were also proposed by Mahatma Gandhi the idea of Lok Adalat was mainly advocated by Justice P.N. Bhagwati, a former Chief Justice of India. Lok Adalat is a non-adversarial system, whereby mock courts (called Lok Adalats) are held by the State Authority, District Authority, Supreme Court Legal Services Committee, High Court Legal Services Committee, or Talk Legal Services Committee.

They are held periodically for exercising such jurisdiction as they determine. These are usually presided over by retired judges, social activists, or other members of the legal profession. The Lok Adalats can deal with all Civil Cases, Matrimonial Disputes, Land Disputes, Partition/Property Disputes, Labour Disputes etc., and compoundable criminal Cases. The first Lok Adalat was held on March 14, 1982 in Gujarat.