NALSA Announces 1st National Lok Adalat Of 2026 To Be Held On March 14

Driven by the vision of Justice Surya Kant, Chief Justice of India and Patron-in-Chief of NALSA, and Justice Vikram Nath, Judge of the Supreme Court of India and Executive Chairman of NALSA, the National Lok Adalat aims to bring citizens, institutions and the justice system together in a space of dialogue where resolution, rather than confrontation, defines the outcome.

The National Lok Adalat will be held across High Courts, District Courts, Tribunals, Consumer Forums and Permanent Lok Adalats throughout the country. However, in Delhi it will be held on 22 March 2026, in Telangana on 28 March 2026, while in West Bengal it will be organised on a later date. This nationwide reach ensures that citizens, regardless of geography or economic background, have an opportunity to step out of prolonged litigation and arrive at mutually agreeable solutions.

What began as an alternative dispute resolution forum has today grown into a people's justice movement. Lok Adalats not only help dispose of cases but also mend strained relationships, spare citizens the burden of years of court proceedings and mounting legal costs, and foster a culture where people actively participate in shaping their own resolutions. In doing so, they have strengthened public faith in the justice delivery system.

A broad range of pre-litigation and pending matters will be taken up for settlement, including criminal compoundable offences, plea bargaining matters, revenue matters, bank recovery cases, cheque dishonour cases, service matters (including pension matters), motor accident claims, compoundable traffic challans, matrimonial disputes (excluding divorce cases), succession matters, land acquisition cases, labour disputes, arbitration matters, consumer cases, electricity bill cases, water bill cases, telephone bill cases and other civil disputes.

The record of Lok Adalats reflects their growing impact. In 2024, over 10.45 crore cases were settled through National Lok Adalats alone. Building on that momentum, the four National Lok Adalats held in 2025 collectively resolved over 14.84 crore cases, demonstrating the dedication of Legal Services Institutions across the country and the increasing trust placed by citizens in this forum.

A focused effort will also be directed at addressing case pendency as reflected in the National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG), underscoring NALSA's resolve to reduce the backlog of cases pending before courts. Each case settled represents not merely a number removed from a register but a family spared prolonged uncertainty and a citizen who has experienced justice as something real and accessible.

As 2026 begins its first chapter of justice delivery, this National Lok Adalat stands as a reaffirmation that the path to resolution need not be long, costly or adversarial. NALSA remains committed to ensuring that every citizen, regardless of social or economic condition, receives justice that is prompt, fair and humane.