The Legal Services Authorities across the country, under the aegis of National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) and the leadership of Mr. Justice Uday Umesh Lalit, Judge, Supreme Court of India & Executive Chairman, NALSA, organised the first National Lok Adalat of the year 2022 in all the 36 States/UTs on 12th March in both physical and hybrid mode.As per the data available till 4.30...
The Legal Services Authorities across the country, under the aegis of National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) and the leadership of Mr. Justice Uday Umesh Lalit, Judge, Supreme Court of India & Executive Chairman, NALSA, organised the first National Lok Adalat of the year 2022 in all the 36 States/UTs on 12th March in both physical and hybrid mode.
As per the data available till 4.30 PM yesterday evening,1.38 crores cases were taken up out of which 1.10 crores cases were pre- litigation cases and 28.34 lacs cases were pending cases. Over 40 lakhs cases were disposed off, indicating a huge achievement and success for the Legal Services Authorities.
The disposal figures are expected to rise as the data from far flung areas are awaited and in some of the urban areas, benches were holding sitting late into the evening.
Mr. Justice Lalit interacted with State Legal Services Authorities, District Legal Services Authorities and appreciated the work done at the ground level by the Presiding Officers, Lawyers, Interns and laid emphasis on the aspect that National Lok Adalats are imperative to reduce the huge pendency in the justice system of the country.
During the day, Mr. Justice Lalit virtually connected and interacted with nearly 40 benches of 16 States & UTs. These States are Manipur, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Karnataka, Assam, Kerala, Punjab, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Maharashtra SLSA constituted special women benches in all districts, wherein matters pertaining to women were taken up and resolved in large number.
Mr. Justice Lalit also interacted with parties in a more than 50 year old partition suit, which was resolved in the National Lok Adalat by way of compromise. In another case where an old woman suffering from paralysis connected virtually by Lok Adalat benches also interacted with Justice Lalit. The old lady expressed her satisfaction after her civil dispute was resolved by amicable settlement.
Mr. Justice Lalit stressed need of quick and affordable access to common men so that he is encouraged to actively participate in the process.
In Lok Adalats cases such as Criminal Compoundable Cases, Revenue Cases and Bank Recovery Cases, Motor Accident Claims, Matrimonial Disputes, Cheque Bounce Cases under the Negotiable Instrument Act, Labour Disputes, and other Civil Cases were taken up. A large number of recovery maters related to financial institutions, banks, government bodies and private service providers were also instituted as pre-litigation cases. In pre-litigation cases, the matters are negotiated and settled without formal institution before any court of law. In Chhattisgarh, Municipality of Raipur filed nearly 33,000 pre-litigation cases for recovery of dues related to municipal services.