The petitioner was the plaintiff in O.S.Nos.212/2002 and 214/2002 pending before the Sub Court, Palakkad. One Jitheshdas was the defendant in both the suits. When the suits came up for trial both the suits were referred to Lok Adalat organized by the District Legal Services authority, Palakkad. The matter was settled and awards were passed. Both the suits were dismissed without costs. The Lok Adalat ordered refund of full court fee paid by both parties in the plaint as well as on counter claim in both the suits as contemplated under Section 21 of the Legal Services Authorities Act (for short ‘the Act’) Section 21 of the Legal Services Authorities Act reads as follows:

“21 Award of Lok Adalat- (1) Every award of the Lok Adalat shall be deemed to be a decree of a civil court or, as the case may be, an order of any other court and where a compromise or settlement has been arrived at, by a Lok Adalat in a case referred to it under sub-section (1) of Section 20, the court-fee paid in such case shall be refunded in the manner provided under the Court Fees Act, 1870 (7 of 1870).

(2) Every award made by a Lok-Adalat shall be final and binding on all the parties to the dispute, an