Madhavi K.

Lok Adalats mean. Peoples court.. They are legal forums that encourage friendly compromise of legal disputes between the contending parties.

A Lok Adalat is considered as one of the substitute dispute redressal mechanisms. National Legal Services Authority organisation in parallel with other Legal Services Institutions conducts Lok Adalats. It is a forum where cases or disputes incomplete in the court of law are compromised and conducted cordially. The Lok Adalats are mainly formed to fulfill the promise and assurance given by the preamble of the Indian Constitution– securing Justice – social, economic, and political of every citizen of India.

• The Lok Adalat comprises of chairman, two members, and one social worker.
• The chairman must and should be a sitting or retired judicial officer.
• The other two members of the Lok Adalat committee should be a lawyer

Public Interest Litigation, or PIL., Is defined as the use of litigation, or legal action, which seeks to advance the cause of minority or disadvantaged groups and individuals, or which raises issues of board public concern. It is litigation introduced in a court o law, not by the aggrieved party but by the court itself or by any other private party. It is not necessary, for the exercise of the court.s jurisdiction, that the person who is the victim of the violation of his or her right should personally approach the court.

1. An independent judiciary has been set up to settle the disputes between the centre and the state government. 2. Judiciary enjoys the powers to resolve the disputes between the central government and the state government, if any problem arises on legal matters and division of powers.

The Constitution of India is federal in form but unitary in spirit because it possesses the following provisions:
1. The distribution of powers between the centre and the state has been made very clear through various lists.
2. The independent judiciary is known as the guardian of the Constitution to determine either the laws implemented are in the limit of Constitution or not. 3. The Constitution of India is rigid on the one hand but flexible also on the other hand as per provisions made for amendments.

The features of .federal government are given below:
(i) There are two or more levels (tiers) of government.
(ii) Each level of government has its own jurisdiction in matters of legislation, taxation and administration even though they govern the same citizens.
(iii) Powers and functions of each tier of government is specified and guaranteed by Constitution.
(iv) The Supreme Court has been given the power to settle disputes between federal governments.
(v) Fundamental provisions of the Constitution cannot be altered by anyone level of government.
(vi) The divisions of powers are defined by the Constitution and the legislative power.