Section 21 in Jammu and Kashmir Legal Services Authorities Act, 1997
21. Powers of Lok Adalats.
(1)The Lok Adalat shall, for the purposes of holding any determination under this Act, have the same powers as are vested in a civil court under the Code of Civil Procedure, Samvat 1977, while trying a suit in respect of the following matters, namely :-(a)the summoning and enforcing the attendance of any witness and examining him on oath ;(b)the discovery and production of any document ;(c)the reception of evidence on affidavits ;(d)the requisitioning of any public record or document or copy of such record or document from any court or office ; and(e)such other matters as may be prescribed.(2)Without prejudice to the generality of the powers contained in sub-section (1), every Lok Adalat shall have the requisite powers to specify its own procedure for the determination of any dispute coming before it.(3)All proceedings before a Lok Adalat shall be deemed to be judicial proceedings within the meaning of sections 193, 219 and 228 of the Ranbir Penal Code, Samvat 1989 and every Lok Adalat shall be deemed to be a civil court for the purpose of section 195 and Chapter XXXV of the Code of Criminal Procedure, Samvat 1989.
