Archive · 8 Oct 2026
Supreme Court Asks NALSA to Consider Lok Adalat Pay Plea
Fourteen members of Permanent Lok Adalats asked the Supreme Court for better pay and allowances.
They say members receive about Rs 2,500 for each sitting.
They also say their work now covers more kinds of disputes, including banking, housing and education.
The amount of money involved in cases they can hear has grown to Rs 1 crore.
The Supreme Court said it could not directly order a pay rise because of administrative and funding limits.
Instead, it asked the members to send their request to NALSA.
NALSA’s Governing Council will consider the request.
The Supreme Court directed NALSA to consider a plea seeking better salaries and allowances for Permanent Lok Adalat members.
The petition was filed by 14 members challenging Rule 3 of the 2003 appointment terms rules.
The petitioners say members receive around Rs 2,500 per sitting and that remuneration differs between chairpersons and other members.
They argue the workload has expanded to disputes involving banking, NBFCs, housing and education, and monetary jurisdiction has risen to Rs 1 crore.
The bench said it could not directly order a pay increase and asked petitioners to send their plea to NALSA’s Member Secretary for consideration by its Governing Council.
- Who
- Fourteen Permanent Lok Adalat members filed the plea; the Supreme Court directed the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) to consider it.
- What
- A request for better salaries and allowances, challenging Rule 3 of the 2003 appointment terms rules.
- When
- The article does not specify the date of the hearing.
- Where
- Before the Supreme Court of India.
- Why
- The petitioners cited unequal remuneration, expanded workload and jurisdiction, and pay of around Rs 2,500 per sitting.
Petitioners’ position
Court’s stated constraints
Remuneration
Petitioners’ position
The petitioners say the rules provide unequal remuneration for chairpersons and other members and seek better pay and allowances.
Court’s stated constraints
The Chief Justice said the court could not directly order an increase because of administrative constraints and restrictions on the use of legal-services-authority funds.
Workload and jurisdiction
Petitioners’ position
The petitioners say Permanent Lok Adalats now handle more complex disputes and have jurisdiction up to Rs 1 crore, supporting their request for improved compensation.
Court’s stated constraints
The bench suggested that the concerned High Courts could also examine the issue and directed NALSA to consider the representation.
- Petitioners
- 14 Permanent Lok Adalat members
- Rule challenged
- Rule 3 of the Permanent Lok Adalat (Other Terms and Conditions of Appointment of Chairman and Other Persons) Rules, 2003
- Current payment cited
- Around Rs 2,500 per sitting
- Jurisdiction limit cited
- Rs 1 crore
- Requested action
- NALSA’s Governing Council to consider the plea as a joint representation
- Bench
- Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana