Anita Kushwaha v. Pushap Sudan
(2016) 8 SCC 509 · Supreme Court of India
Access to justice is a fundamental right; legal aid and ADR fora are constitutional instruments for taking justice to the people.
Unit V · Alternate Dispute Resolution
Permanent Lok Adalat and legal aid
Study aid only. Confirm statute numbers with the current bare Act and the official OU LL.B. (3-YDC) 2024–25 syllabus PDF.
Statute sections
| Act / instrument | Section | Name |
|---|---|---|
| Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 | 22-A–22-E | Permanent Lok Adalat for public utility services |
| Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 | 12 | Criteria for giving legal services |
| Constitution of India | 39A | Equal justice and free legal aid |
Landmark cases
Canara Bank v. G.S. Jayarama
(2022) 10 SCC 258 · Supreme Court of India
A Permanent Lok Adalat under section 22-C cannot decide a dispute on merits in the manner of a civil court where the statute's preconditions for adjudication are not met.
InterGlobe Aviation Ltd. v. N. Satchidanand
(2011) 7 SCC 463 · Supreme Court of India
A section 89 reference does not confer jurisdiction on a forum that the contract validly excluded; party autonomy in forum selection survives ADR promotion.
Previous-year questions
Mapped 6 / 10 / 15-mark questions on this topic. Frequency is how many papers repeat the question.