HYDERABAD: The Telangana High Court has set aside an undated Lok Adalat award passed by the Mandal Legal Services Committee, Malkajgiri, on the file of the I Additional Junior Civil Judge-cum-I Additional Metropolitan Magistrate, Kushaiguda, Medchal-Malkajgiri district.
A bench of justices Moushumi Bhattacharya and Gadi Praveen Kumar held that the proceedings violated statutory procedure and the principles of natural justice. The order came on a writ petition by K Kalyani and another, who challenged the award as illegal and contrary to the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987.
Citing Section 20 of the Act, the bench said Lok Adalats must follow a defined process — reference, settlement, recording of compromise and passing of the award — with a separate order recording the compromise. It stressed that parties must be personally present, their identities verified, and signatures obtained directly from them, not their attorneys.
Finding several procedural lapses and suspicious conduct, the court noted that the release deed violated the Registration Act, 1908, and that the GPA holder’s actions appeared dubious.
It also criticised the haste in referring and disposing of the civil suit. Allowing the petition, the court quashed the award, terming it contrary to law and natural justice.