Delay In Indore Court Fee Refunds After Lok Adalat Settlements Raises Concern

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Concerns have been raised about delays in refunding court fees to litigants who settle their cases through Lok Adalats, despite the introduction of a simplified, time-bound process in Madhya Pradesh. Former Indore Bar Association president Gopal Kacholiya has urged authorities to ensure the timely disbursement of refunds.

Kacholiya highlighted that on February 1, 2025, the Madhya Pradesh State Legal Services Authority issued a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to streamline the court fee refund process. The revised system was designed to make the procedure simple, transparent and efficient, eliminating the need for litigants or their lawyers to visit multiple government offices.

Under the new mechanism, applicants are required to submit only an application and a court-issued refund certificate to the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA). The DLSA then forwards the request to the Collector office, instructing it to credit the refund amount to the bank account of the applicant within one month. The process further involves coordination with the District Registrar and Treasury for final payment.

Previously, litigants had to undergo a lengthy process, including multiple visits to the Collector office, resulting in delays and inconvenience. However, in Indore, applicants are reportedly not receiving refunds within the stipulated one-month period due to alleged negligence by officials in the concerned department. In many cases, litigants are waiting for several months.