The Patna High Court has directed all Permanent Lok Adalats across Bihar to entertain and dispose of compoundable traffic challan cases, holding that there is no legal bar under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 preventing them from doing so. The Court observed that expanding the jurisdiction of Permanent Lok Adalats in this manner would further the objective of ensuring access to justice for all while helping reduce the massive pendency of traffic challan matters.
The Division Bench of Chief Justice Meenakshi Madan Rai and Justice Soni Shrivastava passed the direction while disposing of a writ petition concerning the settlement of pending traffic challan cases. The Court noted that the Bihar Government had, pursuant to its earlier directions, notified the ‘One Time Traffic Challan Settlement Scheme, 2026’ after obtaining Cabinet approval. Under the scheme, compoundable traffic challan fines were reduced by around 50%, facilitating the disposal of 36,722 cases during the National Lok Adalat held on 9 May 2026. The Court appreciated the State Government’s prompt action in issuing the notification and undertaking wide-scale publicity to encourage settlements.
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During the hearing, the Member Secretary of the Bihar Legal Services Authority submitted that Permanent Lok Adalats generally deal with disputes relating to public utility services and expressed reservations about their jurisdiction over traffic challan matters. However, the petitioner argued that Section 22-C of the Legal Services Authorities Act only excludes non-compoundable offences and matters involving property disputes exceeding ₹10 lakh, without prohibiting Permanent Lok Adalats from taking up compoundable traffic challan cases.
Accepting this contention, the High Court held that there is no specific statutory embargo on Permanent Lok Adalats dealing with compoundable traffic challan cases. Emphasising the mandate of the Legal Services Authorities Act to provide accessible and expeditious justice through alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, the Court directed Permanent Lok Adalats across the State to take up such cases in addition to their existing work, with a view to easing the burden of pending traffic challan litigation. The writ petition was accordingly disposed of.
