National Lok Adalat 2026: Dates, Purpose & Bankers’ Leave Reality
As approved by Hon’ble Mr. Justice Vikram Nath, Judge, Supreme Court of India & Executive Chairman, National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), the National Lok Adalat for the year 2026 will be held on the 2nd Saturdays of March, May, September and December. These events play a key role in India’s justice system by resolving pending disputes amicably and reducing court backlog.
National Lok Adalat 2026 Schedule
| Lok Adalat | Date |
|---|---|
| 1st National Lok Adalat | 14 March, 2026 |
| 2nd National Lok Adalat | 9 May, 2026 |
| 3rd National Lok Adalat | 12 September, 2026 |
| 4th National Lok Adalat | 12 December, 2026 |
These dates are part of the Approved Schedule of National Lok Adalats 2026. All events will be conducted nationwide across Supreme Court, High Courts, District Courts and Taluk levels simultaneously under the statutory framework of the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987.
Purpose of National Lok Adalat 2026
National Lok Adalats are alternative dispute resolution platforms designed to help citizens resolve civil and compoundable criminal disputes quickly and at zero or very low cost without undergoing lengthy court procedures. Parties voluntarily agree on settlements with the help of judges, legal experts and conciliators.
Key Objectives of National Lok Adalat 2026
Speedy resolution of disputes that otherwise may take years in normal courts.
Reduce burden on judiciary by disposing thousands of cases in a single day.
Zero court fees or refund of fees if cases referred from regular court.
Informal and accessible process, encouraging amicable settlement between parties.
Final & binding outcomes, with awards treated as equivalent to civil court decrees.
In short, the purpose of National Lok Adalat is to make justice accessible, affordable and quick — especially for ordinary citizens who are constrained by time, cost and complexity of regular court litigation.
Point of Ignorance: Common Misunderstandings
Despite awareness campaigns, many people assume Lok Adalats are regular courts or that all kinds of legal matters (including non-compoundable criminal cases) can be settled there. This is incorrect. Only cases that can be compromised mutually or are pre-litigation/pending with consent of parties are handled. Lok Adalat does not deal with non-compoundable offences.
Bankers & National Lok Adalat: The Leave Dilemma
In every bank, there is a clause stating that any employee working on a holiday earns a compulsory leave. Traditionally, 2nd Saturdays are holidays — which is when all National Lok Adalats take place. Therefore, bank employees assigned Lok Adalat duty should receive one day of compensatory leave.
Unfortunately, in reality:
- Most banks do not grant the entitled compulsory leave to bankers performing Lok Adalat duties.
- In many cases, the HRM software does not even register these leaves for availment.
- When employees raise the issue with management, no clear answer or policy justification is provided by HR or operations teams.
This is not a small grievance — it is about official duty, statutory rights, and fair treatment of employees. Duty on National Lok Adalat day must be compensated with one day of either:
- Compulsory Leave,
- Earned Leave,
- Privileged Leave, or
- Casual Leave.
Yet it remains a sad reality that these leaves are regularly denied or ignored despite explicit rules. This issue needs urgent attention from top management and HR teams in all banks.
Conclusion
The National Lok Adalats of 2026 are significant legal events aimed at delivering quick, affordable and amicable justice across India. While the schedule and purpose are clear and well-defined, one operational issue remains unaddressed: the failure of many banks to grant proper compulsory leave to employees performing Lok Adalat duty.
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