Ministry of Law and Justice
Infrastructure in Lok Adalats
Posted On: 19 DEC 2024 6:35PM by PIB Delhi
The Lok Adalats are organized on a non-working day of the Courts so that the Court’s existing infrastructure can be used for periodic Lok Adalats. Every year, NALSA issues calendar for organising National Lok Adalats. During the current year, National Lok Adalats were held on 9th March, 11th May, 14th September and 14th December. Similarly, National Lok Adalats are scheduled to be held on 8th March, 10th May, 13th September and 13th December during the year 2025. The State Legal Services Authorities (SLSAs) have a specific role in organizing Lok Adalats in their State, in coordination with all stakeholders.
The grants-in-aid provided to NALSA by the Central Government is used only for carrying out the various legal services activities and programmes including organizing of Lok Adalats. It cannot be used for infrastructure development of local courts. NALSA has issued instructions to all SLSAs to take up the matter of lack of infrastructure facilities and
staff wherever required for strengthening Lok Adalats at the State level with the respective State/UT governments and High Courts.
The primary responsibility to provide the required infrastructure to the District and Subordinate Courts rests with the State/UT Government concerned. However, under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme for Judicial Infrastructure, funds are being released to States/UTs for construction of court halls, residential quarters for judicial officers, lawyers’ halls, toilet complexes and digital computer rooms, to supplement the resource of the State/UT Government concerned. Presently, the fund sharing pattern of the Scheme is 90:10 (Centre:State) for the 8 North-Eastern and 2 Himalayan States and 60:40 for remaining States. There is a provision for 100% assistance in case of Union Territories. As on date, Rs. 11,758.55 crores have been released since the inception of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for Development of Infrastructure Facilities for the Judiciary in 1993-94. The number of court halls has increased from 15,818 as on 30.06.2014 to 21,940 as on 30.11.2024, under this scheme.
This information was given by the Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Law & Justice, Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.
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