Srinagar : Under the aegis of National Legal Services Authority, the J&K Legal Services Authority organized 2ndNational Lok Adalat of the calendar year 2023 throughout the J&K, on Saturday under the zestful leadership of Justice N. Kotiswar Singh, Chief Justice, High Court of J&K and Ladakh & 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.
In order 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 organized 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 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 N. Kotiswar Singh, Chief Justice, High Court of J&K and Ladakh & Patron-in-Chief, J&K Legal Services Authority was received at Baramulla by Addl. District Judge alongwith other Judicial Officers and Deputy Commissioner as well as SSP Baramulla.
A Ceremonial Guard of honour was accorded to Chief Justice before inauguration of the 2ndNational Lok Adalat at District Court Complex, Baramulla. After inaugurating the Lok Adalat the Chief Justice inspected different benches constituted to have first-hand information about the cases being taken up for disposal in the said Lok Adalat.
Chief Justice on this occasion also delivered Cheques besides distributing Hearing Aids and Tricycles to the beneficiaries and urged upon the litigants to take maximum benefit of the Lok Adalat.
Thereafter, the Chief Justice also visited Court Complex Uri where SDM Uri along with Sub Judge and other officers of police and Civil Administration received the Chief Justice who inspected the progress of Lok Adalat there also. Subsequently, the Chief Justice inaugurated an awareness programme on the Topic “Lok Adalat an effective tool of ADR Mechanism” at Govt. Degree College Uri and addressed the gathering educating them about the benefits of Lok Adalat.
Likewise, 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 Pr. District & Sessions Judge, Bhaderwah along with other judicial officers and Addl. 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.01 with PDJ Bharderwah to persuaded the parties entangled in a civil litigation from past 7 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 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 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 dishonor and Bank Recovery cases.
Member Secretary, J&K Legal Services Authority, Amit Kumar Gupta, while talking to media persons 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 besides litigants for their whole hearted participation in the National Lok Adalat and playing an important role in settlement of cases.
He also highlighted the role of Para Legal Volunteers and the media, both print and electronic, in creating and spreading awareness amongst the masses regarding the initiatives of Legal Services Authority and about welfare schemes launched by the Govt. and Legal Services Authority. The 3rd National Lok Adalat is scheduled to be held on Saturday, September09, 2023.
