Government to hold Lok Adalats to settle consumer cases

The consumer affairs ministry will hold special Lok Adalats for consumer-related cases for each state from December to dispose of pending for a long, said a senior official from the ministry. "The effort will be to institutionalise it (Lok Adalats for consumer case) and hold it on an assigned day each month," the official said, asking not to be identified, adding that some cases were as old as 20 years.

Groundwork for this exercise has already been initiated and all consumer commissions have been asked to identify cases which have an element of settlement to special Lok Adalats for consumer cases. These will be arranged by heads of consumer commissions in each state.

The department of consumer affairs is in the process of collaborating with the National Legal Service Authority (NALSA) for organising these Lok Adalats for consumer-related cases.


The ministry has referred pending consumer cases to a National Lok Adalat to be held on November 12. The department is reaching out to consumers and companies and consumer organisations through SMS and emails to maximise the outreach of Lok Adalats.