Section 22 of THE LEGAL SERVICES AUTHORITIES ACT, 1987

2[Lok Adalat or Permanent Lok Adalat.]—(1) The

2[Lok Adalat or Permanent 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, 1908 (5 of 1908), while trying a suit in respect of the following matters, namely:—

1. (a)the summoning and enforcing the attendance of any witness and examining him on oath;
2. (b)the discovery and production of any document;
3. (c)the reception of evidence on affidavits;
4. (d)the requisitioning of any public record or document or copy of such record or document from any court or office; and
5. (e)such other matters as may be prescribed.

1. (2)Without prejudice to the generality of the powers contained in sub-section (1), every 2[Lok Adalat or Permanent Lok Adalat] shall have the requisite powers to specify its own procedure for the determination of any dispute coming before it.
2. (3)All proceedings before a 2[Lok Adalat or Permanent Lok Adalat] shall be deemed to be judicial proceedings within the meaning of sections 193, 219 and 228 of the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860) and every 2[Lok Adalat or Permanent Lok Adalat] shall be deemed to be a Civil Court for the purpose of section195 and Chapter XXVI of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974). 3[CHAPTER VIA PRE-LITIGATION CONCILIATION AND SETTLEMENT