JODHPUR, May 17 -- The Rajasthan high court on Thursday directed the principal secretary of the law and legal affairs department to remain present in person during the next hearing along with all relevant records pertaining to the appointment, extension, and refusal to extend the tenure of permanent members of the permanent lok adalats. The direction came after the court expressed dissatisfaction with the affidavit submitted by the state government regarding the non-functioning of several permanent lok adalats in state. The court had taken suo motu cognisance of a report highlighting that these lok adalats had become non-operational following a state government order, dated April 9, 2025, thereby posing serious difficulties in access to justice. In the affidavit submitted before the court, the principal secretary stated that Rajasthan currently has 36 permanent lok adalats - 24 full-time and 12 part-time - with a total of 72 members. The government claimed that the tenure of chairpersons at 12 permanent lok adalats, including those in Jodhpur, Jaipur, Ajmer, and others, had already been extended by one year through a notification issued in February. Additionally, new appointments had been made at Balotra, Sri Ganganagar, Merta City, and Dausa earlier this month. The affidavit added that while no proposals regarding extension of chairpersons were pending with the state government, files related to the appointment of 10 members in various districts were still under consideration. The government also disclosed that the Rajasthan State Legal Services Authority (RLSA) recently sent a proposal seeking one-year extensions for 30 members in 22 districts, which is currently under examination. The affidavit added that, as per a previous condition, the RLSA was expected to undertake fresh recruitment instead of repeatedly seeking extensions....