Punjab Alternative Dispute Resolution Ordinance 2026: A Complete Guide for Lawyers and the Public

On 6 October 2026 the Governor of the Punjab promulgated the Punjab Alternative Dispute Resolution Ordinance 2026 (Ordinance XII of 2026), published the same day in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary). It replaces the Punjab Alternate Dispute Resolution Act 2019 and builds a fuller, more structured system for settling civil, family and certain criminal disputes without a full trial.

For litigants, the promise is a cheaper and faster route to a binding result. For lawyers, the Ordinance changes how cases are filed, managed, referred and concluded in the District Courts. It deserves careful study, because in many cases the court will now ask the parties to try settlement first.

The Ordinance at a Glance

• In force at once and extends to the whole of Punjab (section 1).
• Repeals the 2019 Act and saves actions taken under it (section 49).
• Creates the Punjab Alternative Dispute Resolution Authority, which accredits ADR service providers, ADR centres and ADR training institutes (sections 3 and 11).
• Mandatory civil referral: for the disputes listed in Schedule I, the court “shall” refer the case to ADR within fifteen days of the defendant filing a written statement (section 17(1)).
• Criminal referral: compoundable offences under section 345 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 can be referred at defined stages (section 18).
• Short time limits: thirty days for ADR, extendable to a maximum of sixty days on a joint application (sections 17(3) and 18(3)).
• Settlement becomes a decree: the court passes judgment and decree in the agreed terms, and the suit converts into execution automatically (section 25).
• Confidential and privileged: ADR proceedings cannot be used as evidence without the parties’ consent (sections 27 and 40).

This guide walks through the Ordinance section by section in plain language, for both lawyers and members of the public.

Why a New Law? Background and Purpose

The Ordinance exists to give Punjab “inexpensive and expeditious justice” through a proper system of ADR for civil and criminal disputes, as its preamble states.

The Punjab Alternate Dispute Resolution Act 2019 (XVII of 2019) first allowed courts to send the cases listed in its Schedule, and compoundable criminal cases, to ADR persons. These were the parties themselves, their counsel, mediator judges appointed by the High Court, ADR service providers and ADR centres. Section 21 of that Act also created an Authority.

According to the Statement of Objects and Reasons attached to the Ordinance, that Authority, after “thorough deliberations”, proposed a new Bill that repeals the 2019 Act while making “certain necessary and important improvements”. The stated aims are a “comprehensive system” of ADR and greater autonomy for the accreditation authority, which is now to be an autonomous body.

The Governor used the Ordinance-making power in Article 128(1) of the Constitution because the Provincial Assembly was not in session and immediate action was considered necessary.

A note on its life. An Ordinance under Article 128 is, as a general rule, temporary. As I understand the Article, it stands repealed after ninety days unless the Provincial Assembly extends it or replaces it with an Act. Readers should watch for the corresponding Bill, because the final text may differ.

What Counts as ADR? Key Definitions

Under section 2(c), ADR means any process in which the parties resolve a dispute other than through adjudication by the courts, and it “includes, but is not limited to” mediation, conciliation and negotiation. The Ordinance does not define those three methods separately. In ordinary practice, negotiation is direct bargaining between the parties, mediation uses a neutral person to help them reach their own agreement, and conciliation is a similar process in which the neutral may suggest terms.

The definitions that matter most in practice are these:

• ADR service provider: a person accredited as such under the Ordinance (section 2(f)).
• ADR centre: a legal entity accredited as an ADR centre (section 2(e)).
• ADR training institute: a public or private institute that offers training, grants certification and builds capacity for ADR (section 2(g)).
• Court: a criminal court, civil court, family court, tribunal or quasi-judicial forum with original jurisdiction under any law in force (section 2(i)). This is a wide definition and is not limited to the ordinary civil and criminal courts.
• Settlement: the agreement reached between the parties as a result of successful ADR (section 2(v)).
• Overseas Pakistanis: as defined in the Punjab Overseas Pakistanis Commission Act 2021 (section 2(n)).

Two features of the definition stand out. First, ADR is a process outside the court’s adjudication, so it does not replace the court’s final say on the law. Second, the result is a “settlement”, which the court then turns into a decree, as explained later in this guide.

The Punjab ADR Authority: Who Runs the System

The Ordinance creates the Punjab Alternative Dispute Resolution Authority as a body corporate with perpetual succession and a common seal. It can enter into contracts and memoranda of understanding, hold property, and sue and be sued (section 3). Its head office is in Lahore, and with Government approval it may open offices elsewhere in Punjab by Gazette notification.

Composition (section 4)

Seat	Holder
Chairperson	A retired judge of the Lahore High Court
Member	Secretary of the Administrative Department (Law and Parliamentary Affairs) or a nominee not below Additional Secretary
Member	Secretary, Finance Department, or a nominee not below Additional Secretary
Member	Secretary, Public Prosecution Department, or a nominee not below Additional Secretary
Five members	Persons from audit, accounts, finance and banking, communication, information technology and engineering
One member	A person from the field of law
Member/Secretary	The Director General

The Chief Minister appoints the Chairperson, the five professional members and the law member for four years. The Chairperson and the law member are appointed in consultation with the Chief Justice of the Lahore High Court, and may be removed only in consultation with the Chief Justice. They serve for a maximum of two consecutive terms.

Meetings (section 5). The Authority meets at least once every three months, and five members form a quorum. It may co-opt experts, who cannot vote. A professional or law member who misses three consecutive meetings without permission is disqualified.

Director General (section 7). The DG heads the Authority’s management and office, implements its decisions and coordinates with public and private bodies. The Chief Minister appoints the DG for four years from among retired Pakistan Administrative Service officers of BS-21 or above, or retired District and Sessions Judges. The DG can serve at most two consecutive terms.

What the Authority does (section 6). Its main functions are to:

• advise the Government on ADR policy;
• design the accreditation mechanism for providers, centres and training institutes;
• design the curriculum and run ADR training;
• keep a public database of accredited providers, centres and institutes;
• give lists of accredited providers and centres to the Registrar, Lahore High Court, for distribution to District and Sessions Judges;
• collect fees, run its own budget, enter agreements and promote ADR through awareness and digital tools; and
• approve regulations and issue guidelines.

The list the Authority sends to the District Judges matters in practice. Under section 19, the parties choose their ADR provider from that list.

Accreditation, Monitoring and Conduct (Sections 11 to 14)

No one may work as an ADR service provider, ADR centre or ADR training institute in Punjab without accreditation under the Ordinance (section 11(1)). This is the core quality control in the system.

• Applying. The application goes to the Director General in the prescribed form, with the prescribed fee (section 11(2)). The rules will set the exact terms.
• Decision. The Authority may grant or renew accreditation and issue a certificate, reject the application with written reasons, or revoke accreditation. Revocation requires a reasonable opportunity of hearing and written reasons (section 11(3)).
• Eligibility. An individual provider must have the qualification and experience set by the rules. A centre or training institute must be registered under the relevant law (section 11(4) and (5)).
• Monitoring. Accredited bodies must follow the Ordinance, rules and regulations. The Authority may inspect them, call for reports and issue directions, and they are bound to comply (section 12).
• Code of conduct. The rules will prescribe a code, and breach of the Ordinance or the code can lead to revocation after a hearing and written reasons (section 13).

Where to challenge a decision (section 14)

1. Against an order or decision of the Director General: a representation to the Authority within thirty days of the order. The Authority decides it within sixty days of receipt.
2. Against a direction or decision of the Authority: a representation to the Chief Secretary, Punjab, within thirty days.

The Ordinance describes both as “representations”, to be filed in the manner prescribed by regulations. It does not provide a direct appeal to a court. Any challenge beyond these steps would have to be framed under constitutional jurisdiction, and the exact scope is yet to be tested.

Who Can Conduct ADR? Mediator Judges and Providers (Sections 15 and 16)

ADR may be undertaken by five kinds of persons (section 15(1)):

1. the parties directly;
2. the counsel of the parties;
3. mediator judges nominated by the Lahore High Court;
4. an accredited ADR service provider; or
5. an accredited ADR centre.

Women litigants. Where one or both parties are female, ADR may “preferably” be undertaken by a female ADR service provider (section 15(2)). The word is directory, not mandatory, but courts and parties should give it real weight in family and property disputes.

Mediator judges (section 16). A court may, with the consent of the parties, refer a case to a mediator judge nominated by the Lahore High Court. The mediator judge follows the procedure and time limits in the Ordinance. Unlike the Schedule I referral under section 17, this route depends on consent. The Ordinance does not set out a separate detailed procedure for mediator judges, so the Lahore High Court’s nominations and any directions it issues will matter.

Civil Disputes: Mandatory and Discretionary Referral (Section 17)

The most significant change for civil litigants is that the court must now send most ordinary civil cases to ADR early in the case, and the trial waits while ADR runs.

Schedule I cases: the court “shall” refer. A court shall refer a case listed in Schedule I to an ADR service provider or ADR centre within fifteen days from the date the defendant files the written statement (section 17(1)). Schedule I covers:

• disputes under the Punjab Pre-Emption Act, 1991;
• ownership and possession of immovable property;
• family disputes, including guardianship and custody of minors and the matters in Part I of the Schedule to the Family Courts Act, 1964;
• enforcement of commercial contracts, except those in Schedule II;
• suits for specific performance of contracts, except those in Schedule II;
• suits arising out of tort, except those in Schedule II;
• recovery of movable property or its value;
• partition of joint immovable property, including claims for mesne profits;
• rendition of accounts of joint property;
• removal of nuisance;
• recovery of money;
• inheritance, including declaration and succession; and
• suits for declaration under the Specific Relief Act, 1877.

Schedule II cases: the court “may” refer. A court may refer a Schedule II case at any time or stage if it thinks the case may be resolved through ADR. Before doing so it must ask the parties’ opinion. If the reference is made with the parties’ consent, the court may formulate the points in issue (section 17(2)). Schedule II covers:

• professional negligence under tort;
• disputes under the Punjab Consumer Protection Act, 2005;
• copyright and patents disputes under the Copyright Ordinance, 1962 and the Patents Ordinance, 2000; and
• suits for redemption of mortgaged property under the Transfer of Property Act, 1882.

Time limit. In every referral the court fixes a period of not more than thirty days. On an application mutually submitted by the parties, it may extend the period, but the total cannot exceed sixty days (section 17(3)).

Trial paused. The trial of the referred case is postponed until the ADR period expires (section 17(4)).

Pending cases (section 21). Even beyond these rules, a court may refer any pending case to ADR at any stage before judgment, with the parties’ consent or on its own where it considers it appropriate.

Flexible lists. Section 46 allows the Government to amend the Schedule by Gazette notification, so the categories can change without a new law.

Criminal Disputes: Referral of Compoundable Offences (Section 18)

The Ordinance applies to criminal cases only where the offence is compoundable under section 345 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898. It is not a general settlement route for serious non-compoundable crime. Section 345(1) covers offences the specified persons may compound without the court’s permission. Section 345(2) covers offences that may be compounded only with the court’s permission.

The timing of referral depends on how the case began and which sub-section applies:

Origin of case	Offences under s.345(1) CrPC	Offences under s.345(2) CrPC
Police report (challan)	(i) On the application of the public prosecutor, with the complainant’s consent, at any time before the charge is framed; or (ii) by the court on its own, within seven days of framing the charge	With the agreement of the public prosecutor, at any time after the charge is framed
Private complaint	By the court on its own, or on the complainant’s application, within seven days of summoning the accused	With the consent of the parties, at any time after the charge is framed

The rules that follow the referral are the same as in civil cases, with one difference:

• Time limit. The court fixes a period of not more than thirty days. On a joint application by the parties it may extend it, but the total cannot exceed sixty days (section 18(3)).
• Trial paused. The court that refers the case must postpone the trial until the ADR period ends, “unless there are compelling reasons to proceed with the trial” (section 18(4)). This is the difference from civil cases, where the postponement has no such exception.
• Evidence preserved. Even during the pause, the court may record evidence that is likely to become unavailable, on its own or on a party’s application, including the public prosecutor’s (section 28).

In practice, the section 18(1) route gives the court power to refer on its own in some situations, without waiting for the parties to agree. That is why an accused who wants a speedy trial, and a complainant who wants a negotiated outcome, should both be ready to address the court early, within the seven-day windows.

How ADR Works in Practice: Selection, Costs and Participation (Sections 19 to 22, 29)

Choosing the provider (section 19). The parties may, by mutual consent, select an ADR service provider or ADR centre from the list the court provides to them. If they cannot agree, the court itself selects one from the list provided by the Authority, in the manner the rules prescribe.

Costs and fees (section 20). The cost and fee of the ADR process are borne by the parties in the proportion they mutually agree. If they disagree, the proportion is decided in the manner the rules prescribe. Litigants should therefore expect a fee to be payable even though the court has ordered the referral.

Participation (section 22).

• The parties may take part in person, through authorised agents or through attorneys.
• An attorney who acted for one party in ADR proceedings may not represent the other party in the same matter.
• Parties, including Overseas Pakistanis, may take part using modern devices such as video link where circumstances require. This is useful for families with a member abroad.

Cases in appeal or revision (section 29). With the consent of the parties, the provisions of the Ordinance apply with necessary changes to a dispute pending in an appeal or revision. So settlement need not wait for the trial court to finish.

Records (section 24(2)). The provider or centre must keep a copy of the settlement agreement, notices and any other documents or correspondence made in writing during the ADR proceedings.

After ADR: Failure, Settlement, Decree and Execution (Sections 23 to 26 and 30)

What happens once the ADR period ends depends on whether the parties settled.

If ADR fails (section 23). Where the dispute has not been resolved, or cannot be resolved, the court proceeds to adjudicate the dispute, or the remaining part of it, under the applicable law. The case returns to the court on completion of ADR or on the expiry of the thirty or sixty day period, whichever is earlier (section 24(1)).

If ADR succeeds (section 25).

1. If the court finds the matter completely or partially resolved “in accordance with applicable law”, it pronounces judgment. In a civil dispute it passes a decree in terms of the agreed settlement. The condition about the applicable law is important: the court does not rubber-stamp an agreement that is unlawful.
2. If the outcome is unclear, the court may ask the provider or centre for the necessary clarification, and then passes its final judgment and decree.
3. Once the judgment and decree are pronounced, the suit automatically converts into execution proceedings, if the decree is executable. No separate application is needed and no fresh notice goes to the parties.

The third step is a real saving of time. Until now, a decree-holder normally had to file a separate execution application and wait for notice.

The “meaningful offer” rule (section 26). If a party makes a “meaningful offer” in a civil dispute and the other side rejects it, the rejecting party loses its entitlement to the costs of the suit, and the party that made the offer becomes entitled to costs. The Ordinance defines a meaningful offer as one that is “substantially the same as the decree or order of the Court”. Parties should therefore think carefully before rejecting a reasonable proposal made during ADR.

No appeal or revision (section 30). No appeal or revision lies from the judgment, decree or order that the court passes in consequence of the ADR. The policy is to give settlements finality. Whether this also bars a later challenge on grounds such as fraud, coercion or lack of consent is not addressed in the text and may need to be tested in the courts.

Confidentiality, Privilege and Legal Protections (Sections 27 and 40 to 43)

What is said in ADR stays in ADR, except for the final settlement. This protection is what lets parties speak frankly.

• Confidentiality (section 27). Notwithstanding any other law, the person conducting ADR and the parties must keep all matters relating to the proceedings confidential.
• Privilege (section 40(1)). ADR proceedings are privileged and cannot be admitted in evidence before any court without the consent of the parties and of the person who conducted the ADR. That person cannot be required to appear as a witness, or otherwise, in any arbitral or judicial proceedings about the same dispute.
• The settlement itself is not privileged. The final settlement, in whole or in part, is admissible in evidence in any later proceedings between the same parties on the same subject matter (section 40(1)).
• No double role (section 40(2)). The provider or centre may not act as agent or attorney of any party in later proceedings about the same dispute.
• Good-faith protection (section 40(3)). No suit, prosecution or other proceeding lies against the provider, the centre or any person connected with the ADR for anything done or intended in good faith. The exception is where the provider or centre allowed or ordered the commission of an offence.
• Evidence law (section 41). The Oaths Act, 1873 applies with necessary changes to ADR proceedings. The Qanun-e-Shahadat Order, 1984 does not apply to them, except as the Ordinance otherwise provides. Settlement talks are therefore not bound by technical rules of evidence.
• Public servants (section 42). The Chairperson, members, Director General, officers, employees, experts and staff of the Authority are deemed public servants within the meaning of section 21 of the Pakistan Penal Code.
• Indemnity (section 43). No suit or proceeding lies against the Authority or its office holders for anything done or intended in good faith under the Ordinance.

Funding, Accountability, Rules and the Repeal of the 2019 Act (Sections 31 to 39 and 44 to 49)

The remaining sections build the Authority’s financial and legal machinery. Four points matter most.

1. Funds and accountability.

• The Government must place an adequate budget at the Authority’s disposal each year and release it in good time (section 31).
• The Punjab Alternative Dispute Resolution Fund is made up of Government and Federal grants, funds from international agencies (with Government approval), donations, investment income, fees and other sums (section 32).
• The Authority banks with scheduled banks as the Finance Department directs, and must keep proper accounts (sections 33 and 34).
• The Auditor-General of Pakistan audits the accounts annually, and a firm of Chartered Accountants audits them as well (section 35).
• The Authority submits an annual report through the Administrative Department for laying before the Provincial Assembly (section 36), and the Government may conduct a yearly performance audit (section 38).
• The Authority may delegate powers to the Director General, but not the power to frame regulations, approve the budget, form committees, approve policies or approve the annual report and audit accounts (section 39).

2. Rules and regulations. The Government makes rules by Gazette notification on the code of conduct, accreditation, documentation, ADR procedures, training curriculum and awards to providers (section 44). The Authority frames regulations consistent with the Ordinance and rules (section 45). The Government may also remove difficulties by order (section 47).

3. Overriding effect (section 48). If the Ordinance conflicts with any other law in force, the Ordinance prevails to the extent of the conflict.

4. Repeal and saving (section 49). The 2019 Act is repealed. Notifications issued, appointments made and other things done under that Act, including anything done in repealing section 89-A and clause (iii) of rule 1A of Order X of the First Schedule to the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, are deemed to have been done under the Ordinance, unless altered, amended or substituted. The existing Chairperson, members and Director General continue for the period provided in the Ordinance, with other terms to be fixed by the rules or the Chief Minister in the meantime.

Because the rules and regulations are still to come, procedural details such as fees, forms and qualifications will follow after the Ordinance itself.

What This Means for Ordinary Citizens: Common Questions

Will I be forced to settle my case?
No. In most civil cases the court must send you to ADR, but nobody can be forced to agree. If no settlement is reached, the court goes on to decide the case (section 23).

Which cases are affected?
Most everyday civil disputes: property ownership and possession, money recovery, partition, inheritance, pre-emption, specific performance of agreements and family matters such as guardianship and custody (Schedule I). Some compoundable criminal cases can also be referred. Consumer cases, professional negligence, copyright and patents and mortgage redemption are not sent automatically, but a court may still refer them after asking the parties.

How long does ADR take?
The court gives a period of up to thirty days. The parties can jointly ask for more time, up to sixty days in total.

What happens to my court case in the meantime?
The trial is paused for that period. In criminal cases the court may still go ahead if there are compelling reasons, and may record evidence that might otherwise be lost.

Who pays?
The parties share the cost and fee of the ADR process, in the proportion they agree, or as the rules decide if they cannot agree.

Is what I say kept private?
Yes. The ADR proceedings are confidential and privileged. Only the final settlement can be used in later proceedings between the same parties.

What do I get if we settle?
A court judgment and decree in the terms you agreed. If the decree can be executed, the case moves into execution on its own, without a new application or fresh notices.

Can I appeal if I am unhappy with the settlement?
The Ordinance bars appeal and revision against the decree passed as a result of ADR (section 30). Read the terms carefully, and take legal advice before you sign.

Do I need a lawyer?
You may attend yourself, through an authorised agent or through an attorney (section 22). Since the outcome is final, having a lawyer review the terms is wise, especially in property and family matters. For custody, guardianship, khula and maintenance disputes, see our Family Lawyer in Lahore service page.

I live abroad. Can I take part?
Yes. Overseas Pakistanis and other parties may take part by video link and similar modern means where the circumstances require.

Can I choose who handles my ADR?
Yes, if both sides agree. You choose from the list of accredited providers and centres supplied through the court. If you cannot agree, the court chooses from the Authority’s list.

I am a woman involved in the dispute. Is there anything for me?
Where either or both parties are female, the ADR may preferably be conducted by a female ADR service provider (section 15(2)).

Practical Points and Open Questions for Lawyers

The Ordinance changes the rhythm of a case. These are the points I would build into a litigation checklist.

Practical points

1. Diary the fifteen-day window. In a Schedule I case the referral falls due within fifteen days of the written statement. Decide in advance whether you will assist the referral, or ask the court to consider objections, and be ready to propose a provider from the list.
2. Classify the case early. Check whether the cause of action falls in Schedule I (mandatory) or Schedule II (discretionary). Several entries overlap, such as tort, commercial contracts and specific performance, each with a carve-out for Schedule II.
3. Manage the thirty-day clock. The default period is thirty days and the ceiling is sixty, and extension needs a mutual application. Have a short, signed joint application ready if talks are progressing.
4. Draft settlements to be executable. Since the court passes a decree in the agreed terms and the suit converts to execution automatically, state the relief, the time for performance and the property or sums clearly. A vague term invites a clarification request under section 25(2) and delay.
5. Secure client authority. The decree cannot be appealed (section 30). Obtain written instructions, and where a client is abroad or acts through an attorney, confirm the power of attorney covers settlement.
6. Watch conflicts. An attorney who acted for one party in ADR cannot represent the other side in the same matter (section 22(2)). Counsel who undertake the ADR themselves under section 15(1)(b) should think about this before accepting the role. The provider may not act for any party in later proceedings on the dispute (section 40(2)).
7. Record offers carefully. The costs consequence in section 26 turns on a “meaningful offer”, but ADR proceedings are privileged and inadmissible without consent (sections 27 and 40). Make offers in clear written form, and consider how you will prove them if costs are argued.
8. Criminal cases need quick decisions. The referral windows are seven days from framing of the charge or summoning. Counsel for the accused and for the complainant should know their position before the first date after charge.
9. Keep the record safe. The provider must retain the settlement and documents, but you should keep your own copies of notices and the signed agreement.

Open questions to watch

• Consent decree challenges. Section 30 bars appeal and revision. Whether a party can still attack a settlement decree for fraud, coercion or want of authority, and by which remedy, is not stated.
• Life of the Ordinance. It is an Article 128 Ordinance, so its continuation depends on the Provincial Assembly. Watch for a Bill and for amendments in it.
• Rules and regulations. Fees, qualifications, forms, the code of conduct and the working of mediator judges all depend on instruments not yet issued.
• Mandatory referral and delay. The court must refer Schedule I cases and pause the trial. Litigants who want a quick trial may object on grounds of delay and fair trial. The short time limit and the court’s power to adjudicate after failure are the likely answers.
• Family matters. Schedule I includes family disputes, and family courts already have reconciliation steps. How the two processes will fit together is to be seen.
• Scope of criminal referral. Section 18 is tied to section 345 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. How compromises permitted under other provisions, such as those for offences under the Qisas and Diyat provisions, fit within it is a point to watch.
• Pending cases. Section 21 allows referral at any stage before judgment. Courts will have to decide how it interacts with the fifteen-day rule for cases already past that stage.

Conclusion

The Punjab Alternative Dispute Resolution Ordinance 2026 moves settlement from an optional extra to a standard early step in a large class of civil, family and compoundable criminal cases. It sets short time limits, requires accredited providers, protects confidentiality and turns a settlement into a decree that can be executed without further steps. The weight now falls on how quickly the Authority issues its rules, how the courts handle the fifteen-day referral and how they treat challenges to settlement decrees.

For litigants, the practical advice is simple: approach ADR seriously, make reasonable offers, and get legal advice before signing, because the result is final. For lawyers, the Ordinance rewards early case classification, clear settlement drafting and careful attention to the time limits.

Source. The Punjab Alternative Dispute Resolution Ordinance 2026 (XII of 2026), Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), 6 October 2026, Notification No. Legis: 13-14/2025, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Department.

Muhammad Shafique Baloch, Advocate High Court
Office No. 3, Basement, Miccop Centre, 1 Mozang Road, near AG Office Chowk / Lahore High Court, Lahore
WhatsApp / Phone: 0321-4960782

This article is a general introduction to the Punjab Alternative Dispute Resolution Ordinance 2026 as of October 2026 and is not legal advice. The Ordinance may be amended, replaced or lapse, and the rules and regulations are still to be framed. Every case depends on its own facts. Consult an advocate before taking any step.