Hundreds of cases were settled in National Lok Adalats held across the State on Saturday.
District Judge Ch. K. Durga Rao, who is also the Chairman of District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), inaugurated the Lok Adalat at Nellore. It was aimed at resolving various cases pertaining to the land acquisition disputes and also the MNREGA works . Senior civil judge M. Ramakrishna, who is secretary of DLSA, said three benches were constituted for finding an amicable settlement of disputes. Over 425 cases, including civil and pre-litigation ones were settled at the Mega Lok Adalat held in Ongole resulting in a financial benefit of Rs. 40 lakh to the litigants. Ten benches constituted by In-charge Principal District Judge Sk. Md. Ismail, heard over 500 civil, criminal and pre-litigation cases, settling 425 cases by the evening.
District Legal Services Authority Secretary and Senior Civil Judge V. Mohan Kumar said a majority of the cases settled were pre-litigation ones with electricity-related disputes alone accounting for 377 cases leading to settlement of claims for Rs. 3.49 lakh. Claims to the tune of Rs. 19.97 lakh were settled in 12 cases relating to promissory notes signed by debtors, he said, after 10 benches sat all through the day here and in nine other towns in the district .
District Principal Judge V. Apparao and DLSA Secretary V. Annapoorna settled many cases providing much needed relief to litigants in the Lok Adalat held at Srikakulam. Senior advocate Jallu Tirupati Rao said Lok Adalat was a boon for poor people who could not afford to pay fees.
