- The Parliament has made certain amendments in Legal Services Authorities Act by passing an Act known as the Legal Services Authorities (Amendments) Act, 2002. The purpose of this amendment is to bring out certain changes in the Legal Services Act, 1987 (hereinafter referred to as the principal Act) especially for the establishment of permanent Lok Adalats to settle disputes concerning public utility services at pre-litigation state.
- The reason behind creation of these courts was the realisation that litigation oriented legal services cannot bring out desired result, therefore, it encouraged pre-litigation legal services specially in public utility service.
- "Public utility service" means any-
(1) Transport service for the carriage of passengers of goods by air, road or water; or
(2) Postal, telegraph or telephone service; or
(3) Supply of power, light or water to the public by any establishment; or
(4) System of public conservancy or sanitation; or
(5) Service in hospital or dispensary; or
(6) Insurance service.