P K RAJESWARI Vs. P K SOORAJ KUMAR

JUDGEMENT

(1.) In the Lok Adalath held by the Taluk Legal Services Committee, Koyilandy, dated 30-9-2004, O.S.No. 22 of 1998 pending on the file of the Sub Court, Koyilandy, was compromised. Under Section 21(2) of the Legal Services Authority Act, 1987, in short 'the Act', every award made by the Lok Adalat shall be final and binding on all the parties to the dispute and no appeal shall lie to any court against the award. This appeal has been filed, challenging the award passed by the Lok Adalat, inter alia, challenging the interest of 18% awarded by the Adalat and imposing a penal provision.

(2.) The office has noted that the appeal is not maintainable as per Section 21 of the Act and also as the valuation of the appeal is below rupees one lakh.

(3.) Counsel brought to my notice the decision of this Court in Thomas Job v. P.T. Thomas , in which a regular revision, challenging the award passed by the Lok Adalat conducted by the District Legal Services Committee, Alappuzha, on the ground that the revision petitioner therein had not complied with the terms of the compromise and, as such, the revision petitioner was not entitled to get the award executed through the court, was admitted, heard and allowed. The said decision of the learned single Judge was challenged before the Apex Court and in P.T. Thomas v. Thomas Job 2005 (3) KLT 1042 (SC) : (2005) 6 SCC 478 the court held that: