Powers of a Civil Court under CPC 1908:
🔹 (a) Summoning and enforcing the attendance of any witness, examining on oath
Example:
Two people are fighting over land boundaries. Lok Adalat can call a neighbor as a witness and ask them to speak truthfully under oath about what they saw during the boundary marking.
🔹 (b) Discovery and production of any document
Example:
If someone claims they paid money for a property but the seller denies it, Lok Adalat can ask the bank to produce transaction records or ask the person to show the receipt.
🔹 (c) Reception of evidence on affidavits
Example:
A person is unable to attend the hearing in person due to illness. Lok Adalat can accept a written statement (affidavit) signed and sworn before a notary as valid evidence.
🔹 (d) Requisitioning of any public record or document from any court or office
Example:
In a dispute about pension, Lok Adalat can request government office records to check the employee’s retirement papers or service history.
🔹 (e) Other matters as may be prescribed
Example:
Lok Adalat may be allowed to settle disputes through video conferencing, or accept digital documents in special cases as per new rules.