Srinagar: J&K Legal Services Authority and Ladakh Legal Services Authority, under the stewardship of Justice Pankaj Mithal, Chief Justice, High Court of J&K & Patron-in-Chief J&K & Ladakh Legal Services Authorities and under the guidance of Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey, Executive Chairman J&K Legal Services Authority and Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur, Executive Chairman, Ladakh Legal Services Authority Saturday organized National Lok Adalat throughout the U.Ts of J&K and Ladakh.
In order to have maximum response and settlements between the parties in cases like MACT, matrimonial, cheque bounce cases under NI Act, Money recovery cases, etc., it was advised to organize pre-Lok Adalat sittings or pre-counselling sessions (either video or tele-conferencing or physical with social distancing) well before the date of National Lok Adalat so that parties may get one or more chances for entering into negotiation/dialogue with the opposite parties.
Apart this, webinars were organized 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 Ali Mohammad Magrey, Executive Chairman, J&K Legal Services Authority inaugurated the National Lok Adalat at Budgam. Thereafter, Executive Chairman accompanied by Justice Vinod Chatterji Koul visited Pulwama and Anantnag to have first hand information about the proceedings going on in the benches constituted for the purpose. In Jammu wing of the High Court, the National Lok Adalat was inaugurated by Justice Tashi Rabstan, Chairman High Court Legal Services Committee.
As per the information received from the districts, out of a total number of 103905 cases taken up by 137 Benches in the day long National Lok Adalat at various courts across J&K, 79176 Cases were disposed of and an amount of Rs. 1,08,49,68,507/- was awarded as compensation/settlement amount in civil, criminal, labour disputes, Electricity and Water Bills cases, Land Acquisition, Family matters, cheque dishonour and Bank Recovery cases. Like wise in Ladakh a total of 553 Cases were taken up by 9 benches and 392 cases were disposed of and an amount of Rs. 2,61,08,552/-was awarded as compensation/settlement amount in civil, criminal, labour disputes, Electricity and Water Bills cases, Land Acquisition, Family matters, cheque dishonor and Bank Recovery cases.
As per the directions of Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey, the main focus in this National Lok Adalat was on the cases of people from inaccessible areas.
Before the Lok Adalat, the Executive Chairman had few video conferences with all Chairmen and Secretaries of DLSAs and emphasized to identify and settle the cases of this vulnerable section of the society. Out of 79176 cases settled in National Lok Adalat 6507 cases from the inaccessible areas were also settled.
M. K. Sharma, Member Secretary, J&K and Ladakh Legal Services Authorities thanked all the participants including the Judicial Officers, Secretaries DLSA’s, Advocates, representatives of insurance companies & banks, staff of the courts & Legal Services Institutions & litigants for their pragmatic approach in settlement of cases in such a large number.
