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Subordinate Courts and Lok Adalats ICSE Class 10 Civics

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History & CivicsICSE Class 10 · Subordinate Courts

Subordinate Courts: District Judge's Court, Sessions Court and Lok Adalats (ICSE Class 10 Civics)

Updated 17 October 2026 · Fact-checked

The Court of the District Judge is the principal civil court of a district; the Sessions Court is its principal criminal court. The same judge often sits in both and is called the District and Sessions Judge. A Lok Adalat is a people's court that settles disputes by compromise; it is inexpensive, quick and informal, and its award is final.

Notice the two parallel ladders, civil and criminal, with appeals rising to the High Court, while Lok Adalat settles disputes by compromise.

Illustration drawn for QuestionBuddy.

Understand District Judge's Court, Sessions Court and Lok Adalats

1. The structure of subordinate courts. Under each High Court, every district has:

  • *Civil side:* Court of the District Judge at the top, with courts of Civil Judges (Senior and Junior Division) below.
  • *Criminal side:* Sessions Court at the top, with courts of Chief Judicial Magistrates and Judicial Magistrates below.
  • *Revenue side:* revenue courts for land revenue and records.

The Governor appoints District Judges in consultation with the High Court, which supervises all subordinate courts.

2. Court of the District Judge (civil). Deals with disputes about property, contracts, inheritance, marriage and divorce, and guardianship. Original jurisdiction for civil cases of higher value and important matters; appellate jurisdiction over decisions of Civil Judges; supervises the lower civil courts. Appeals against its decisions go to the High Court.

3. Sessions Court (criminal). Tries serious offences such as murder, robbery, dacoity, kidnapping and rape, committed to it by magistrates. It can pass any sentence the law allows, including life imprisonment and death, but a death sentence needs High Court confirmation. It hears appeals from Judicial Magistrates. Its decisions can be appealed to the High Court.

4. The distinction in four points.

  • *Nature of cases:* civil (rights, property, money, family) versus criminal (offences against the law).
  • *Purpose:* to settle a dispute and enforce a right, usually by compensation or an order, versus to punish an offender.
  • *Decision:* a decree versus a sentence.
  • *Lower courts:* Civil Judges versus Judicial Magistrates appeal into them.

One judge often presides over both: as District Judge for civil work and as Sessions Judge for criminal work.

5. Lok Adalat. The words mean people's court. A forum for amicable settlement of disputes, pending in court or not yet filed, by compromise and conciliation. It has statutory recognition from the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987. It is usually headed by a serving or retired judicial officer, with a lawyer and a social worker. It handles motor accident claims, family disputes, bank recovery, bills, labour disputes and minor compoundable offences. It cannot decide unless both sides agree. Its award is treated as a civil court decree, is final, and no appeal lies.

6. Advantages. (i) No court fee, and a fee already paid in a pending case is refunded on settlement. (ii) Speedy, often on the same day. (iii) Informal, without strict procedure. (iv) Compromise preserves goodwill; no winner or loser. (v) The award is final and binding. (vi) Reduces the load on regular courts. (vii) Brings justice to the poor and remote areas.

District Judge's Court, Sessions Court and Lok Adalats: key facts

Civil and criminal
  • District Judge: civil
  • Sessions Court: criminal
  • Same judge often presides over both
Court pairs.
Distinction
  • Nature of cases
  • Purpose
  • Decree versus sentence
  • Lower courts
Four points.
Lok Adalat
  • People's court
  • Legal Services Authorities Act 1987
  • Award final
  • No appeal
Four anchors.
Advantages
  • No fee
  • Speed
  • Informal
  • Goodwill
  • Final award
Five.

How to answer District Judge's Court, Sessions Court and Lok Adalats questions

Recent papers asked for a civil-criminal analogy, advantages of Lok Adalats (2 marks) and a difference between the two courts (2-4 marks).

  1. 1Pair civil with District Judge and criminal with Sessions Court.
  2. 2For the distinction, give nature of cases and the decision (decree versus sentence).
  3. 3For Lok Adalats give meaning first, then two or more advantages.
  4. 4Do not write about village panchayats when Lok Adalats are asked.

District Judge's Court, Sessions Court and Lok Adalats in real life

The idea, met in an everyday situation. Answer the question in your own words, then compare with the model answer. The one-line hook is what to remember.

Settle by compromise

Suppose two neighbours argue over a shared wall, and a local mediation camp with a retired judge helps them agree on a repair plan without a court fee or a long wait.

Which institution does this resemble and what is the advantage?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. A forum to settle by agreement.
  2. No fee and no long wait.
  3. Relationship is kept.

Answer: It resembles a Lok Adalat; the advantages are speed, no fee and goodwill.

Memory hook: Agree, don't fight.

Two kinds of case

Imagine one case where a tenant refuses to give back a flat, and another where a person is charged with theft.

Which court deals with each?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. Tenant dispute is civil.
  2. Theft is an offence, so criminal.
  3. Civil: District Judge; criminal: Sessions Court or magistrate.

Answer: The tenant dispute goes to the civil side (District Judge or lower civil courts); the theft case goes to the criminal side (a magistrate, with serious cases in the Sessions Court).

Memory hook: Rights go civil; offences go criminal.

Tricks to remember District Judge's Court, Sessions Court and Lok Adalats

Short memory aids. Say each one aloud once, then use it on a question the same day.

  • D-C, S-C

    District-Civil, Sessions-Criminal.

    Use it when: Pairs.

  • F-S-I-G-F

    Free, Speedy, Informal, Goodwill, Final.

    Use it when: Lok Adalat advantages.

District Judge's Court, Sessions Court and Lok Adalats: solved examples

Ordered from board level to HOTS. Try each one before you open the solution.

Example 1: Civil-criminal pair · 1 mark · MCQBoard level

Which of these goes to the Sessions Court? (a) division of family property (b) a trial for dacoity (c) a guardianship claim (d) a contract dispute [1]

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. Dacoity is a serious offence tried by the Sessions Court; the others are civil.

Answer: (b) a trial for dacoity.

Example 2: Lok Adalat · 3 marks · Short answerBoard level

What is a Lok Adalat? Mention two advantages. [3]

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. Meaning (1 mark).
  2. Two advantages (2 marks).

Answer: A Lok Adalat is a people's court where disputes are settled by compromise between the parties. It is inexpensive since no court fee is charged, and it is quick because cases are often settled on the same day.

Example 3: Distinction · 4 marks · Short answerHarder board level

Distinguish between the Court of the District Judge and the Sessions Court. [4]

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. Nature of cases (1 mark).
  2. Purpose (1 mark).
  3. Decision (1 mark).
  4. Appeals from lower courts (1 mark).

Answer: The District Judge's court is the principal civil court dealing with disputes over property, contracts, family matters and the like, while the Sessions Court is the principal criminal court dealing with serious offences such as murder and robbery. A civil case ends with a decree to enforce a right, and a criminal case ends in a sentence, including imprisonment or death. Appeals come to the District Judge from Civil Judges and to the Sessions Judge from Judicial Magistrates.

Example 4: Sessions Court · 4 marks · Short answerHarder board level

Describe the jurisdiction of the Sessions Court. [4]

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. Serious offences (1 mark).
  2. Sentences (1 mark).
  3. Death sentence confirmation (1 mark).
  4. Appeals (1 mark).

Answer: The Sessions Court tries serious criminal offences such as murder, robbery, dacoity and kidnapping committed to it by magistrates. It can pass any sentence authorised by law, including life imprisonment and death, but a death sentence must be confirmed by the High Court. It also hears appeals against the judgments of Judicial Magistrates in the district.

Example 5: Case: a dispute · 6 marks · Case-basedHOTS / competency

Case. A bank and a borrower have a pending loan dispute. They agree to settle it before a body headed by a retired judge with a lawyer and a social worker. (i) Name the body. [1] (ii) Under which Act does it have legal status? [1] (iii) What is the status of its award? [2] (iv) Why can it not decide a case unless both parties agree? [2]

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. (i) Lok Adalat (1 mark).
  2. (ii) Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 (1 mark).
  3. (iii) Treated as a civil court decree, final, no appeal (2 marks).
  4. (iv) It works by compromise, not by judgment (2 marks).

Answer: (i) A Lok Adalat. (ii) The Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987. (iii) Its award is treated as a decree of a civil court, is final and binding, and no appeal lies against it. (iv) Because it settles disputes through conciliation and compromise and does not impose a decision on an unwilling party.

Where students lose marks in District Judge's Court, Sessions Court and Lok Adalats

The slips examiners see most often, and what to write instead.

  • Mistake: Writing about panchayats

    Mixing village panchayats with Lok Adalats.

    Wrong working

    A Lok Adalat is a village panchayat.

    Right working

    A Lok Adalat is a forum for settlement of disputes, with legal status under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987.

    Do this: Use the exact term.

    Usually costs: 2 marks.

  • Mistake: Swapping civil and criminal

    Pairing the wrong court.

    Wrong working

    Sessions Court deals with property disputes.

    Right working

    District Judge civil; Sessions criminal.

    Do this: Civil-District.

    Usually costs: 1-2 marks.

  • Mistake: Saying the award can be appealed

    Assuming all courts allow appeals.

    Wrong working

    Appeal lies to the High Court against an award.

    Right working

    No appeal lies against a Lok Adalat award.

    Do this: Final.

    Usually costs: 1 mark.

  • Mistake: Forgetting purpose in the distinction

    Writing only the names of the cases.

    Wrong working

    District Judge handles civil cases; Sessions handles criminal cases.

    Right working

    Also decree versus sentence and purpose.

    Do this: Four points.

    Usually costs: 1-2 marks.

Exam tips

  • Pair the courts first, then give the points of difference.
  • Mention the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 in the meaning.
  • Write at least two advantages for 2 marks.

Practice questions on District Judge's Court, Sessions Court and Lok Adalats

Write each answer on paper first. Open the hint only if you are stuck, and the answer only when you have finished.

  1. Q1 · 2 marks · Very short answerBoard level

    Who appoints the District Judge? Who supervises subordinate courts? [2]

    Hint

    Governor; High Court.

    Answer

    The Governor appoints the District Judge in consultation with the High Court, and the High Court supervises all subordinate courts.

  2. Q2 · 2 marks · Very short answerBoard level

    Name two types of cases a Lok Adalat may settle. [2]

    Hint

    Accident claims, bank recovery.

    Answer

    For example motor accident claims and family or matrimonial disputes; also bank loan recovery, labour disputes and minor compoundable criminal cases.

  3. Q3 · 4 marks · Short answerHarder board level

    Explain why Lok Adalats are useful to poor people. [4]

    Hint

    Cost, speed, place.

    Answer

    There is no court fee, and a fee paid in a pending case is refunded if it is settled. Cases are decided quickly, often on the same day, and procedure is informal so that parties can talk without a lawyer. Lok Adalats are held in different places, so justice reaches the poor and remote areas.

  4. Q4 · 5 marks · Short answerHarder board level

    Describe the jurisdiction of the Court of the District Judge. [5]

    Hint

    Original, appellate, supervisory.

    Answer

    It hears civil cases of higher value and important matters such as property, contracts, inheritance, marriage and divorce, and guardianship. It hears appeals against decisions of the Civil Judges. It also supervises the working of the lower civil courts, and appeals against its own decisions go to the High Court.

  5. Q5 · 4 marks · Case-basedHOTS / competency

    "A Lok Adalat makes a Sessions Court unnecessary." Is this correct? Discuss. [4]

    Hint

    Voluntary, minor cases.

    Answer

    No. A Lok Adalat settles only disputes the parties agree to compromise, including minor compoundable offences. Serious crimes such as murder need trial, evidence and punishment by the Sessions Court. Lok Adalats reduce the burden of regular courts but do not replace them.

Test your recall

Answer in your head or on paper first, then open the card. Pulling an answer out of memory makes it stick far better than re-reading.

  1. 1.Which court is the main civil court of a district?Show answer

    The Court of the District Judge.

  2. 2.Which court tries murder cases at district level?Show answer

    The Sessions Court.

  3. 3.What does Lok Adalat mean?Show answer

    People's court.

  4. 4.Which Act gave Lok Adalats statutory status?Show answer

    Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987.

  5. 5.Can a Lok Adalat award be appealed?Show answer

    No.

  6. 6.Who confirms a death sentence of a Sessions Court?Show answer

    The High Court.

District Judge's Court, Sessions Court and Lok Adalats: frequently asked questions

Why do students often confuse the District Judge with the Sessions Judge?

Because in most districts one judge sits in both roles: District Judge for civil cases and Sessions Judge for criminal cases.

Do Lok Adalats charge a fee?

No court fee is charged.

Who appoints District Judges?

The Governor, in consultation with the High Court.

What cases can a Lok Adalat settle?

Pending or pre-litigation disputes that the parties agree to settle, such as accident claims, family disputes and bank recovery.