Polity · 15 Jul 2026

Lok Adalat Legal Services Authorities Act

Both Hindu and Muslim litigants in the Gyanvapi mosque dispute recently rejected Supreme Court-mandated mediation talks convened under an initiative named SAMADHAN SAMAROH. With reference to the statutory basis of Lok Adalats in India, which one of the following is correct?

ALok Adalats derive their statutory basis from the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996, which requires a prior arbitration agreement between the parties
BLok Adalats derive their statutory basis from the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 and function on the principle of mutual consent and compromise between parties
CLok Adalats derive their statutory basis from the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, specifically for religious title disputes
DLok Adalats derive their statutory basis from the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 and can compulsorily bind both parties without their consent
This question is based on: A Court Ordered Mediation. Nobody Came. That Silence Is the Real Verdict on ADR Here.
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About this question

Why in news

Both sides in the Gyanvapi dispute formally declined the Supreme Court's mediation offer on July 14, 2026, choosing judicial adjudication instead, exposing the structural mismatch between mediation and mutually exclusive title claims.

Why for UPSC

UPSC has directly tested the statutory distinction between Lok Adalats and Arbitration Tribunals before (2024); this question anchors that static distinction to a live, exam-relevant news event.

Prelims summary

Lok Adalats function under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, on a consent-and-compromise basis - distinct from Arbitration Tribunals (Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996), which need a prior arbitration agreement.

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