law: 22. Powers of 2[Lok Adalat or Permanent Lok Adalat.]-
  (1) The 2[Lok Adalat or Permanent Lok Adalat] shall, for the purposes of holding any determination under this Act, have the same powers as are vested in a Civil Court under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (5 of 1908), while trying a suit in respect of the following matters, namely:-
  (a) the summoning and enforcing the attendance of any witness and examining him on oath;
  (b) the discovery and production of any document;
  (c) the reception of evidence on affidavits;
  (d) the requisitioning of any public record or document or copy of such record or document from any court or office; and
  (e) such other matters as may be prescribed.
  (2) Without prejudice to the generality of the powers contained in sub-section (1), every 2[Lok Adalat or Permanent Lok Adalat] shall have the requisite powers to specify its own procedure for the determination of any dispute coming before it.
  (3) All proceedings before a 2[Lok Adalat or Permanent Lok Adalat] shall be deemed to be judicial proceedings within the meaning of sections 193, 219 and 228 of the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860) and every 2[Lok Adalat or Permanent Lok Adalat] shall be deemed to be a Civil Court for the purpose of section195 and Chapter XXVI of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974).