Archive · 20 Jan 2026
Gauhati High Court Quashes Lok Adalat Award for Missing Representative
The Gauhati High Court recently said that a settlement in a Lok Adalat is not valid if the company involved does not have an authorized person present.
In this case, a company called Mahindra and Mahindra Financial Services Ltd had a settlement order passed in September 2024, but no authorized officer was there.
The company's lawyer made some agreements, but the court said this wasn't enough because the lawyer didn't have a written permission to make those agreements.
So, the high court decided that the settlement order was not valid.
The Gauhati High Court quashed a Lok Adalat settlement order involving Mahindra and Mahindra Financial Services Ltd.
The settlement was passed in September 2024 without an authorized representative of the company present.
The company's lawyer made concessions without a written authority letter.
Justice Sanjay Kumar Medhi noted the absence of both an authorized representative and a written authority letter.
The high court clarified that a settlement in Lok Adalat is invalid without an authorized representative.
- Who
- Gauhati High Court and Mahindra and Mahindra Financial Services Ltd
- What
- Quashing of a Lok Adalat settlement order due to the absence of an authorized representative
- When
- September 2024 (Lok Adalat order), recent (High Court hearing)
- Where
- Gauhati High Court, Assam
- Why
- The settlement was reached without an authorized representative or written authority from the company
- Court
- Gauhati High Court
- Company Involved
- Mahindra and Mahindra Financial Services Ltd
- Date of Lok Adalat Order
- September 2024
- Judge
- Justice Sanjay Kumar Medhi
- Issue
- Absence of authorized representative in settlement