The Second National Lok Adalat held across the country on Saturday amicably settled about 1.25 crore pending and pre-litigation cases and brought financial relief of over Rs. 3,000 crore to ordinary litigants in a single day.
The Adalat held over the day and organised by the National Legal Service Authority (NALSA) has reduced backlog by about nine percent in all the States.
Even in the Supreme Court, 28 out of 53 cases put up for settlement were disposed of and cheques were handed out at the time of settlement itself.
The cases settled out of court include family disputes, matrimonial cases, motor accident claims, bank recoveries, petty criminal matters, revenue matters, disbursement of payment under the MGNREGA and other government welfare schemes.
It able to resolve nearly double the number of disputes than last year. In November 2013, around 71 lakh cases were settled in the First National Lok Adalat.
“It is evident that the Second National Lok Adalat has greatly benefited the common man,” a statement issued by NALSA, of which the Chief Justice of India is patron, said.
The Lok Adalat hearings were held in courts at all levels, right from the Supreme Court to the High Courts to the taluk courts. In Delhi, the State Legal Services Authority expanded the network of Lok Adalats to include the State Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission, the Debt Recovery Tribunals, the Central Administrative Tribunals, Revenue Department Courts, Sub Divisional Magistrates and district consumer forums.
Inaugurating the National Lok Adalat at the Supreme Court in the morning, Justice Anil R. Dave asked litigants to keep their ego in control and have a “big heart” to help dispose of the cases. He said alternative dispute mechanisms like the Lok Adalat were the “best ways to resolve a dispute”.
“It is less expensive and relations between litigants do not get strained,” Justice Dave said.
