Principal District Judge-cum-Chairman of District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) V. Jaya Surya expressed the view that better coordination with the police, district administration and Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) can ensure quick justice.
At the inaugural of the National Lok Adalat held on the premises of the District Court here on Saturday, Mr. Jaya Surya said that 22 benches were constituted and an equal number of judicial officers were working to settle the pre-litigation cases at the adalat on Saturday. Referring to the issue of harassment of para-legal volunteers by the police, Mr. Jaya Surya directed the Police Commissioner and the Superintendent of Police to initiate disciplinary action against policemen harassing these volunteers, who were rendering yeomen service to the poor. He sought that the police should give priority to the cases entrusted by the volunteers.
District Collector Solomon Arokiaraj called for greater coordination between various departments to reduce the burden of disposal of cases by the courts. He said that the district administration was going to the doorsteps of the people to create legal awareness among them.
GVMC Commissioner M. Satyanarayana said it was unfortunate that some litigants were going to court even on simple problems that could be settled amicably by the parties concerned. He said that the GVMC has appointed a personal officer in this regard.
Police Commissioner B. Shivadhar Reddy said the City Police identified and issued notices in 3,500 cases asking the parties to attend the adalat for settlement of the cases amicably. He underlined the need for holding of another adalat in the next three months.
Superintendent of Police (Visakhapatnam Rural) Vikram Jeet Duggal said that of the 1,910 cases identified in the district, 724 were settled at the adalat.
Principal Senior Civil Judge-cum-FAC Secretary, DLSA T. Venugopal Rao spoke.
Visakhapatnam Bar Association secretary N. Sanyasi Rao, member of AP Bar Council B.V.R. Murthy and DLSA Member H.V.S. Prasanna Kumar were present.
G. Venkata Rao, a physically challenged farmer of Boni village of Anandapuram mandal on the outskirts of the city, was seen awaiting his turn at the adalat. He lost his right leg in an accident in 2006. The next year, he applied for a loan of Rs.7,500 from the Agriculture Development Branch of SBI at Isukathota in the city for purchase of a cow. He did not repay the loan and now the bank officials had issued a notice to him summoning him to attend the adalat.
In Gajuwaka, the 13 Additional District Judge-cum-Gajuwaka Mandal Legal Services Authority Chairman K. Chidananda inaugurated a mega lok adalat at the Gajuwaka Court Complex. He advocated quick disposal of cases through amicable settlement. Senior Civil Judge A. Pardhasaradhi, Junior Civil Judge A. Moses, Third Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate P. Dattatreyulu, Gajuwaka CI Vivekananda, Gajuwaka Bar Association president V. Eswara Rao and secretary M. Pattabhirama Rao were among those who were present.
