More than 20 cases were resolved in Dakshina Kannada district by using the Saksharata Ratha — the bus modified by Karnataka State Legal Services Authority for legal awareness and Lok Adalats — that is moving to different parts of the district from the last fortnight. The bus entered the city on Thursday after visits to taluk headquarters in the district.
Twelve cases have been resolved in the Bantwal, Puttur and Sullia taluks. The remaining cases were taken up in the Lok Adalat held at the district court premises on Thursday.
This new form of taking justice to the doorsteps of the people was launched by K.G Balakrishnan, the former Chief Justice of India in Bangalore on November 23, 2008. Modelled on the facility started by Haryana in 2007, this modified green bus provides a mobile court and facilities for the personnel involved in Lok Adalat and Legal Literacy programme. While two such buses were moving in different parts of the State, a mini-bus was being used for the same activity in Bangalore.
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This is the second visit of the bus to the Dakshina Kannada district. “The places that the vehicle would be going now are different from those which we have covered last year. We want to cover as many places as possible to generate legal awareness and resolve disputes,” said H.R. Deshpande, Principal District and Sessions Judge, who is the Chairman of the Dakshina Kannada District Legal Services Authority.
The Saksharatha Ratha entered the Dakshina Kannada district after holding programmes in Udupi district. About eight cases related to property disputes were settled in the Lok Adalat held in Puttur taluk, followed by three cases in Bantwal and one in Sullia taluk. While 39 legal awareness programmes had been conducted in four taluks, five were planned for Mangalore.
“The laws on which awareness was being spread relate to the problems at a particular place. The cases that are being settled relate to litigants residing in those areas,” said R.B. Patil, Chief Judicial Magistrate .
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Mr. Deshpande flagged off the journey of the bus in Mangalore taluk on Thursday. A. Subramanyeshwara Rao, Superintendent of Police, and S.P. Chengappa, President of Mangalore Bar Association, participated in the event.
Mr. Rao and Mr. Chengappa assured the support of the police and lawyers to the district authority for legal awareness and resolving disputes.
On Thursday, the bus moved to Sri Dharmastala Law College where M.R. Keshav, Senior Traffic Inspector, spoke about “road safety laws”. Then it proceeded to Munnuru Gram Panchayat where the villagers were made aware of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act.
Lok Adalat pertaining to cases of Mangalore was held at the District Court premises in the evening.
Similarly, legal literacy programmes would be held at the Haleyangady, Kuppepadavu, Car Street, Neerumarga and the Ship Yard on Friday and Saturday.
According to a member of the Karnataka State Legal Service Authority, the Saksharatha Ratha would be moving to Bagalkot on January 19. Another bus, which is in Madikeri on Thursday, will be proceeding to Chikmagalur district.