The National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) will organise the first National Lok Adalat of 2026 on March 14 in a major initiative aimed at making justice more accessible, affordable and speedy for citizens across the country.
The nationwide programme is being organised under the guidance 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 will be conducted simultaneously in High Courts, District Courts, Tribunals, Consumer Forums and Permanent Lok Adalats throughout the country. However, in Delhi it will be held on March 22, in Telangana on March 28, while in West Bengal it will be organised on a later date.
Over the years, Lok Adalats have evolved from an alternative dispute resolution mechanism into a people-centric justice movement. The platform enables disputing parties to settle matters amicably, thereby reducing the burden of prolonged litigation, legal expenses and court backlogs while restoring relationships and promoting mutual understanding.
A wide range of pre-litigation and pending cases will be taken up for settlement during the Lok Adalat. These include criminal compoundable offences, bank recovery cases, cheque dishonour matters, service and pension disputes, motor accident claims, compoundable traffic challans, matrimonial disputes (excluding divorce), succession matters, land acquisition cases, labour disputes, arbitration matters, consumer cases and disputes related to electricity, water and telephone bills, among other civil matters.
The impact of Lok Adalats has been significant. In 2024 alone, more than 10.45 crore cases were settled through National Lok Adalats across India. Building on that momentum, the four National Lok Adalats held in 2025 collectively resolved over 14.84 crore cases, reflecting growing public trust in the system.
NALSA has also emphasised efforts to address case pendency reflected in the National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG), aiming to reduce the backlog of cases pending before courts.
Officials said each settlement not only reduces court pendency but also brings timely relief to citizens by ensuring justice that is prompt, fair and humane.
