Over 74,299 long standing disputes have been settled in the three-month long national Lok Adalat organised by the District legal services authority in Bidar recently.
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Hanchate Sanjiv Kumar, principal district and session’s judge, told presspersons in Bidar on Sunday that the amount settled in these cases was over Rs. 19.23 crore.
The highest number of cases were relating to the issue of birth certificates. Over 65,120 cases were disposed off and officials of revenue and urban or rural local bodies gave away birth certificates after verifying documents.
The highest amount settled was in the recovery of dues related to banks and Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited. As many as 3,447 cases were disposed off and an amount of Rs 18.18 crore was settled.
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Among cases from courts, over 900 cases of compoundable traffic violations and criminal offences were disposed off and an amount of Rs 10 lakh was settled.
A total amount of Rs 48.78 lakh was settled awarded as compensation in land acquisition cases. Another Rs 8.28 lakh was settled in some civil cases. Around Rs 31 lakh was settled in cases under Negotiable Instruments Act and Motor Accident Claims Tribunal cases. Another Rs 3.1 lakh was settled in various compoundable cases under Police Act and motor vehicles Act.
“We are enthused by the response. We will continue to strengthen the several Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms,” the judge said. According to him, the DLSA organised 25 Lok Adalat benches in three months and facilitated conciliation between individual parties or between individuals and institutions such as banks or the government. They were either pre-litigation cases or those referred by the courts. These are cases that could be reconciled or negotiated. Non –negotiable cases such as major crimes are not brought before the ADR forum, the judge said.
The purpose of organising ADR sessions is to increase the legal awareness levels of the general public. That will reduce the levels of oppression, harassment and deprivation, he said. He urged people to develop a basic understanding of law and fight for their fundamental and legal rights by approaching the courts or ADR forums.
Details
National Lok Adalat
1.Pre litigation cases settled – 69,447
2.Pending criminal cases- 4712
3.Pending civil cases- 140
Amount settled
1.Pre litigation cases – Rs 18.2 crore
2.Cases referred by courts- Rs 1.03 crore