Srinagar, May 13: National Lok Adalat was held on pan – India basis across the Jammu and Kashmir union territory (UT) and during which 1,12,289 cases were resolved and Rs 58.11 crore settled.
A press release issued here said, “ Under the aegis of National Legal Services Authority, the J&K Legal Services Authority organized 2nd National Lok Adalat of the calendar year 2023 throughout the UT of J&K, today under the zestful leadership of Justice N Kotiswar Singh, Chief Justice, High Court of J&K and Ladakh and Patron-in-Chief, J&K Legal Services Authority, Justice Tashi Rabstan, Executive Chairman, J&K Legal Services Authority and also under the able guidance of Justice Sindhu Sharma, Chairperson, High Court Legal Services Committee.”
To boost amicable settlements amongst the parties in cases like MACT, Matrimonial disputes, cheque bounce under NI Act, money recovery, etc., pre-lokadalat sittings and pre-counselling sessions were organised well before the date of National Lok Adalat so that the parties may get more chances for negotiation/dialogue with the opposite parties to arrive at a consensus.
Apart from that, webinars and virtual meetings were organised to sensitize the officers of Legal Services Authorities/Committees, Panel Lawyers and PLVs about the importance of Lok Adalat as a mode for Alternate Dispute Resolution.
Justice Tashi Rabstan, Judge, High Court of J&K and Ladakh and Executive Chairman, J&K Legal Services Authority visited District Court Complex, Bhaderwah, where he was accorded a warm welcome by Principal District and Sessions Judge, Bhaderwah along with other judicial officers and Additional SP Bhaderwah.
Justice Tashi was given ceremonial guard of honour, where after, he inaugurated the office of Legal Aid Defense Counsel at District Court Complex Bhaderwah. Taking stock of the progress of 2nd National Lok Adalat going on in the Court Complex Bhaderwah, the Executive Chairman himself joined the Bench No 1 with PDJ Bharderwah to persuaded the parties entangled in a civil litigation from past seven years to settle the dispute amicably in the Lok Adalat in order to preserve the family relations between them.
Justice Tashi also delivered cheques of awarded compensation to the beneficiaries present there. While interacting with the Advocates and the litigant public, Justice Tashi urged them to take maximum benefit of the Lok Adalat in settling their disputes and said that settlement of matter in Lok Adalat leads to win-win situation for both the litigating parties.
Later, in the afternoon, Justice Tashi visited District Court Complex, Kishtwar, where a warm reception was accorded to Justice Tashi by the Judicial Officers, Advocates, officers of Police and Civil Administration including Pr. District & Sessions Judge, Deputy Commissioner and Addl. SP Kishtwar. The compensation money regarding the cases settled in the Lok Adalat was paid to the beneficiaries in shape of cheque on the spot.
As per the information received from different Legal Services Institutions of various districts of UT of J&K, out of a total number of 1,96,780cases taken up by 144 Benches in the day long National Lok Adalat at various courts across the UT of J&K, 1,12,289cases were disposed of and an amount of Rs. 58,10,98,054 was awarded as compensation/settlement amount in Motor Accident Claims, civil, criminal, labour disputes, Electricity and Water Bills cases, Land Acquisition, Family matters, cheque dishonour and Bank Recovery cases.
