Is It Compulsory to Attend the Arbitration Process Referred by the Lok Adalat Judge?

Lok Adalat is a statutory alternative dispute resolution forum under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 that facilitates amicable settlement of pending and pre'litigation civil matters and compoundable criminal matters; every award is treated as a decree and is final and binding under Section 21 of the Act. [https://www.indiacode.nic.in/handle/123456789/1925] [https://nalsa.gov.in/lok-adalats/]. Attendance by the parties is normally required but an authorized representative or advocate may appear and settlements are often recorded through counsel; however Lok Adalats must act as conciliators and cannot assume judicial adjudication or pass an award without genuine consent (see State of Punjab v. Jalour Singh, (2008) 2 SCC 660). [https://indiankanoon.org/doc/483834/]. If an accused misses a Lok Adalat sitting, the bench may either record a settlement through an authorised representative (and pass an award which will be final) or, if no compromise is possible, return the record to the referring court for regular disposal (see Legal Services Authorities Act, ss.20'21). [https://www.indiacode.nic.in/handle/123456789/1925]. Where a compromise award is passed and complied with, subsequent criminal action in respect of the same settled cause has been held to be impermissible (Saleem Ahmed v. State, 2019). [https://indiankanoon.org/doc/5577234/]. A matter not settled can be referred to another Lok Adalat or re'referred by the court; but once a proper Lok Adalat award has been made it is ordinarily final and can only be assailed on very limited grounds (fraud, jurisdictional error, breach of natural justice) by writ to the High Court under Articles 226/227 as explained in Bhargavi Constructions v. Kothakapu Muthyam Reddy (2018) and Jalour Singh. [https://www.courtkutchehry.com/judgements/693155/bharvagi-constructions-anr-vs-kothakapu-muthyam-redd/] [https://indiankanoon.org/doc/483834/]. For criminal'law consequences and procedure note the revised criminal statutes now in force: the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA). [https://www.indiacode.nic.in/handle/123456789/20062'view_type=browse] [https://www.indiacode.nic.in/handle/123456789/21615'locale=en] [https://www.indiacode.nic.in/handle/123456789/21070'view_type=browse]