Srinagar: The first National Lok Adalat, E-seva Kendra number two and three and the Single Window system for issuance of certified copies, was inaugurated by Justice N. Kotiswar Singh, Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, (Patron-in-Chief of the J&K Legal Services Authority) in presence of Justice Javed Iqbal Wani, Judge of High Court of Jammu & Kashmir.
Other dignitaries who attended the inauguration ceremony included M.K Sharma, Principal Secretary to Chief Justice; Jawad Ahmed, Principal District & Sessions Judge (Chairman DLSA) Srinagar; Farooq Ahmed Bhat, Registrar Judicial, Judicial Officers of District Court Srinagar, members of bar and administrative staff of District Court, Srinagar.
Chief Justice N. Kotiswar Singh and Justice Javed Iqbal Wani were warmly received by Principal District & Sessions Judge, Jawad Ahmed, Jeema Bashir, Presiding Officer of MACT Srinagar and Judicial Officers of District Court Srinagar.
The first National lok Adalat was organized under the guidance of Justice N. Kotiswar Singh, Chief Justice of the 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 under the direction and supervision of Jawad Ahmed, Chairman of the District Legal Services Authority (Pr. District & Sessions Judge) Srinagar.
To facilitate the amicable settlement of cases, nine benches were constituted for the said National Lok Adalat, wherein the first bench was presided over by Jeema Bashir (Presiding Officer, MACT, Court Srinagar) and Iqbal Ahmad Masoudi (I/C Addl. District & Sessions Judge / 3rd Addl. District and Sessions Judge) Srinagar as bench member, the second bench was presided over by Masrat Roohi (Principal Judge Family Court) Srinagar and Tabassum (Judge Small Causes) Srinagar as bench member, the third bench was presided over by Gowher Majeed Dalal (4th Addl. District and Sessions Judge) and Adnan Manzoor (Sub-Register/JMIC), Srinagar, as bench member, the 4th bench was presided over by Raja Mohammad Tasleem (Chief Judicial Magistrate) Srinagar and Mehreen Mushtaq (Municipal Magistrate) Srinagar as Bench Member, the 5th Bench was presided over by Feroz Ahmad Khan (Forest Magistrate) Srinagar and Moneer Ahmad (3rd Additional Munsiff/JMIC) Srinagar, as Bench Member, the sixth Bench was presided over by Sajad-Ur- Rehman ( City judge), Srinagar and Atzaz Ahmad (2nd Additional Munsiff) Srinagar as Bench Member, the Seventh Bench was presided over by Mudasar Farooq (Special Mobile Magistrate (Traffic) Srinagar and Raja Arshad Hamid (Additional Special Mobile Magistrate) Srinagar, as Bench Member, the Eighth Bench was presided over by Mir Sayeem Qayoom (City Munsiff Srinagar) and Shafeeq Ahmad Malik (1st Additional Munsiff/JMIC) Srinagar and the Nineth Bench was presided over by Lubna Sultan (Addl. Spl. Mobile Magistrate (13th FC)Panthachowk Srinagar) and President Bar Association Pantha chowk (Member). In addition to the said benches, two pre-lok Adalat benches were also constituted on 06/03/2024 for settlement of Bank recovery cases and traffic challans.
Overall, 52463 cases were taken up for settlement, out of which, 51330 cases were amicably settled and Rs. 6,63,39,583 were awarded as settlement amount. In Motor Accident related cases, Bench No 1 headed by Jeema Bashir (Presiding Officer, MACT Court) Srinagar, and Iqbal Ahmad Masoudi (I/c Additional District & Sessions Judge/3rd Additional District & Sessions Judge) Srinagar had taken 81 cases for settlement, out of which, 51 cases were amicably settled and Rs. 4,43,91502 were awarded as settlement amount.
The Chief Justice also distributed compensation cheques among the claimants to the tune of Rs. 37,35,000 besides presenting cheques to the tune of Rs. 10,00000 to the survivors of violence sanctioned by the J&K Legal Services Authority.
In yet another significant leap towards digitization and enhanced citizen services, the Chief Justice also inaugurated E-Seva Kendra no. 02 and 03, along with Single Window system for issuance of certified copies, as part of 3rd Phase E-Court Project offering citizens seamless and efficient platforms to access a wide array of legal services from the comfort of their homes. The innovative Single Window system streamlines the process for obtaining certified copies and ensures swift delivery of essential documents. This user-friendly interface epitomizes the commitment of the judiciary to embrace modernization and enhance the overall experience for litigants and legal practitioners alike.
Commenting on the inauguration, Chief Justice Singh emphasized, “These initiatives signify our unwavering dedication towards leveraging technology for the betterment of our citizens. By harnessing the power of e-governance, we aim to foster transparency, accessibility, and efficiency within the legal ecosystem.”
