- (1.) Heard learned counsel for the petitioner and Sri S.N. Iqbal Hasan holding brief of Sri Firoz Haider learned counsel for the respondent No.3, the main contesting party.
(2.) The petitioner in this writ petition has come up against the award of the Permanent Lok Adalat adjudicating the claim of the respondent No.3 on merits and awarding Rs.2,01,000/- to her with 10% interest w.e.f.02.03.2012, the date on which the petition was presented till its payment. One of the submission of learned counsel for the petitioner is that the judgement, order and award of the Lok Adalat is without jurisdiction as Permanent Lok Adalat is not vested with any authority to adjudicate the dispute between the parties on merits. The second argument is that the Insurance Policy covered the owner as well as the worker of the establishment but in respect of the worker the liability of the Insurance Company was upto the Rs.1,00,000/-only and as such the award of Rs.2,00,000/- is illegal.
(3.) The Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 (hereinafter referred to as the Act) was enacted by the Parliament to provide free legal services to the weaker section of the Society and to ensure that justice is not denied to any citizen by reason of economic, social or other disabilities by organising Lok Adalats to provide speedy alternative and innovative mechanism for dispute resolution. Chapter VI-A titled "Pre-Litigation Conciliation and Settlement" was added to the above Act by Act No.37 of 2002. It contains Section-22A to Section 22-E providing for the establishment of Permanent Lok Adalats, the method of resolution and settlement of disputes to be followed for the purpose and if necessary, for its adjudication in terms of award.;