Rakesh Kumar Jain, J. - (1.) This order shall dispose of five petitions bearing CWP Nos.11542 and 806 of 2015, 179, 806, 2120 and 2126 of 2016 as the question involved in all the petitions is common. However, for the sake of convenience, the facts are being extracted from CWP No.11542 of 2015.
(2.) This petition is directed against the order of the Permanent Lok Adalat (Public Utility Services), Union Territory, Chandigarh (hereinafter referred to as the Lok Adalat ) by which an application filed by the petitioner under Section 22C(1) of the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 (hereinafter referred to as the Act ) has been considered on merits and dismissed.
(3.) Learned counsel for the petitioner although advanced arguments on merits of the case, but the larger issue raised by him is about the fallacy in the exercise of jurisdiction by the Lok Adalat while deciding the case of the petitioner. It is submitted that before deciding the case on merits by invoking Section 22C(8) of the Act, the Lok Adalat has to follow the provisions of Sections 22C(3) to (7) of the Act, to which it has not adverted to before exercising its jurisdiction under Section 22C(8) of the Act.;