Lok Adalat Settlement Must Be Based on Parties’ Free Consent; Counsel Cannot Compromise Case Without Written Authority: Gauhati High Court

This news is based on a judgment of the Gauhati High Court delivered on 17 January 2026 by Justice Sanjay Kumar Medhi, dealing with the legality of a settlement recorded in a National Lok Adalat under the Legal Services Authorities Act 1987. The Court examined whether a compromise can be treated as valid when it is signed by counsel without written authority and without the presence or free consent of…