Lok Adalat - Improvement suggestions

Abstract

Lok–Adalat can be used in conjunction with Mediation as it will be far more effective. The suggestions such as leveraging technology for improvements if implemented will bring a lot more efficiency and credibility to the Lok Adalat. Video Conferencing Technology should be used bringing disparate parties to the common platform leveraging technology and also saving money and time. Parties would not need to travel all the way to the court and Lok Adalats should be the one reaching to the people. Then only in true sense we can call it a lok adalat.
Judges, advocates are some of most technologically backward communities left. Britishers have left India but the colonial legacy is most starkly visible in the three functions of the Government (Legislature, Executive and Judiciary). Many reforms have taken place in legislature and Executive, like changing the time of Budget from the British time to Indian time and use of computers. Incidentally Judiciary has been the one bringing reforms in most of the other sectors, except for itself. Judicial innovation should work with the time and some steps are truly commendable such as establishment of Judicial Data grid. More transparency is required in the administrative side of Judiciary, which has become influenced by rampant corruption, where orders of the Judges are being modified /negated by the clerks. Some of the Judges haven’t fared well either. When Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha can be broadcasted live on TV, why not Court Proceedings.