It is indeed very sordid that Khap panchayats or Katta Panchayats have their vice-like grip on the people especially in village areas, but their need and efficacy have been more due to the way our legal system is functioning. Some of the archaic practices (which were intentionally introduced in British times to keep the locals in check) still practised in Courts and generally in the legal system itself are at the root of the popularity of these kangaroo courts. The reality of it is best summarized in the news article highlighted in this thread itself:
“If criminal incidents take place, a court will take years and years,” he said. “The khap will sit together and very quickly make a ruling.”
It is expediency versus existing legal system. As in many other areas in this country, it is the 'middle men' who always have every thing to gain, the middle men here being unscrupulous legal and para-legal practitioners who specialize in adjournments and absolute stays, taking adequate 'greasy' steps to ensure cases do not come up for hearings in any reasonable time at all! An urgent requirement is a complete revamp of the entire legal machinery which has collected a lot of cobwebs over a couple of centuries!