STATE TIMES NEWS
SRINAGAR: Continuing its endeavour to fulfill constitutional commitment of ensuring swift, cost-effective and providing efficient dispute resolution to the masses in general and litigant public in particular, the J&K Legal Services Authority under the patronage of Justice N. Kotiswar Singh, Chief Justice, High Court of J&K and Ladakh(Patron-in-Chief, J&K Legal Services Authority) and dynamic mentorship of Justice Tashi Rabstan, Executive Chairman, J&K Legal Services Authority as also under the guidance of Justice Sindhu Sharma, Chairperson, High Court Legal Services Committee, on Saturday organized 2nd National Lok Adalat of the year 2024 across the UT of Jammu & Kashmir to boost amicable settlements amongst the parties in cases including MACT, Matrimonial disputes, cheque bounce under Negotiable Instrument Act, Money recovery, Commercial disputes and Criminal Cases of compoundable nature.
In order to ensure amicable settlement of maximum disputes, Pre-lok adalat sittings and pre-counselling sessions were organized well before the date of National Lok Adalat so that the parties get ample opportunity to engage in dialogue with their opponents to arrive at a consensus to resolve the dispute permanently. Besides, webinars and virtual meetings were also organized to sensitize the stakeholders, officers of Legal Services Institutions, LADCs, Panel Lawyers, PLVs and all those who are related in one way or the other in enhancing the Alternate Dispute Resolution, regarding the importance of LokAdalat and to persuade the parties to take maximum benefit out of it.
As per the information received from various Legal Services Institutions working in different districts of UT of J&K, out of total 1,28,959 cases taken up by 138 Benches in the day long National Lok Adalat across the UT of J&K, 1,22,549cases were amicably settled and disposed off involving an amount of Rs.42,73,80,904 as compensation/settlement amount in cases like Motor Accident Claims, civil, criminal, labour disputes, Electricity and Water Bills, Land Acquisition, Family matters, cheque dishonor and Bank Recovery etc.
Talking to media persons, Member Secretary, J&K Legal Services Authority, Amit Kumar Gupta appreciated the efforts of all the Judicial Officers, Secretaries DLSA’s, Advocates, staff of the district and tehsil courts as well as Legal Services Institutions as also litigants for their whole hearted participation in the National Lok Adalat. He further said that flocking of litigants for participation in large number for amicable settlement of huge number of cases in today’s lok Adalat is a testimony to the fact that the common masses want resolution of their disputes pending as well as at pre-litigation state through the medium of Alternate Dispute Resolution. So, he urged all the Stakeholders to come forward and take maximum benefit of such initiatives of the NALSA. He also informed that the 3rd National Lok Adalat of the current calendar year shall be held on September 14, 2024 and those litigants who could not get their cases either listed in today’s lok adalat or could not settle the same for any reason can avail the opportunity in the next Lok Adalat.
In a special message, the Member Secretary, J&K Legal Services Authority informed all the stakeholders that the Supreme Court of India has decided to convene a Special Lok Adalat w.e.f July 29, 2024 to August 03, 2024 of the cases pending before it and thus Mr. Gupta appealed all the stakeholders not to miss the opportunity and approach nearest Legal Services Office with the detail of cases, so that the parties can be facilitated in amicable settlement of disputes by organizing pre-lok Adalat sessions where they can participate either physically or virtually, as per their convenience.
