Srinagar: In pursuance to the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) calendar, and under the directions of Jammu and Kashmir Legal Services Authority, the Ist National Lok Adalat was held on Saturday across all the districts of Kashmir division by the respective District Legal Services Authorities (DLSAs).
The Lok Adalat was held under the directions of Justice Tashi Rabstan, Chief Justice of the High Court of J&K and Ladakh (Patron in Chief, J&K Legal Services Authority), and Atul Sreedharan Executive Chairman J&K Legal Services Authority.
Lok Adalat is an alternative dispute redressal mechanism where disputes and cases pending in courts of law or at the pre-litigation stage are settled or compromised amicably to reduce the load on the regular court system.
The matters placed before the benches included cases of Civil, Criminal Compoundable, Cheque bounce, Bank matters, MACT, Land Compensation, Matrimonial, Electricity, and Pre-litigation matters referred by DLSA Budgam, which included electricity related issues/matters, bank recovery matters, PHE matters, Social Welfare Scheme matters, Labour cases, Revenue, Matrimonial disputes, land disputes, BSNL cases, municipality cases and other Government scheme related matters.
At Srinagar, District Judiciary Srinagar, in collaboration with the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) Srinagar, organized the Ist National Lok Adalat for the year 2025 at the District Court Complex Mominabad Srinagar and in the Court of Additional Special Mobile Magistrate/JMIC Pantha chowk Srinagar. The National Lok Adalat was held under the guidance of Shazia Tabasum, Member Secretary of J&K Legal Services Authority, and under the overall supervision of Tasleem Arief, Principal District & Sessions Judge and Chairman of DLSA Srinagar, along with Sajad Ur Rehman, Secretary DLSA Srinagar. The Ist National Lok Adalat of the year was inaugurated by Chairman District Legal Services Authority Srinagar Tasleem Arief in the presence of judicial officers and staff at the District Court Complex Srinagar. During the Lok Adalat, Shazia Tabasum, Member Secretary of J&K Legal Services Authority, along with Tasleem Arief, Principal District & Sessions Judge Srinagar, Sajad Ur Rehman, Secretary DLSA Srinagar observed the proceedings of the benches at District Court Srinagar. To facilitate the amicable settlement of cases, 13 benches were constituted. Overall 85600 cases were taken up for settlement out of which 83297 cases were amicably settled and Rs.60798358 was awarded as settlement amount.
At Baramulla, the first National Lok Adalat was inaugurated by Principal District & Sessions Judge, Baramulla Jawad Ahmad, who is also Chairman of the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), Baramulla The event was attended by Additional District and Sessions Judge, Special Judge NDPS Cases, Secretary, DLSA Baramulla, President Bar Baramulla and other judicial officers. To ensure smooth proceedings, nine benches were constituted across the district that took up a total of 2,454 cases for settlement out of which 2,260 cases were settled, with a total amount of Rs 6.19 crore realized.
At Budgam, the Ist National Lok Adalat was organized in District Court Complex Budgam and Taluka Courts of the district under the direction and supervision of O.P Bhagat, Chairman of DLSA ( Pr. District & Sessions Judge) Budgam and under the supervision of Nusrat Ali Hakak, Secretary District Legal Services Authority Budgam. The Ist National Lok Adalat of the year 2025 was inaugurated by O.P Bhagat Principal District & Sessions Judge (Chairman District Legal Services Authority Budgam) at district court complex Budgam in presence of other judicial officers posted at district headquarters Budgam. Each Court had identified cases for the said National Lok Adalat before hand and same were placed before 08 different benches constituted for their settlement. A total of 2852 cases were taken up, out of which 1371 cases were amicably settled. Besides, an amount of Rs 1,34,71,022 was given as compensation/recovered in total.
At Ganderbal, the 1st National Lok Adalat was organized by District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) Ganderbal under the supervision of Abdul Nasir, Chairman, DLSA Ganderbal, and guidance of Sheikh Babar Hussain, Secretary, DLSA Ganderbal. The National Lok Adalat was successfully inaugurated by Chairman District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) Ganderbal. The inauguration ceremony was attended by several distinguished judges, including Rafia Hassan, Additional District and Sessions Judge, Ganderbal; Tabasum, Chief Judicial Magistrate, Ganderbal; Sheikh Babar Hussain, Secretary, DLSA Ganderbal; Mahoor, Munsiff, Ganderbal, and Monis Wahid, Additional Special Mobile Magistrate, Ganderbal. Other notable attendees included LADCs, Panel Lawyers, Bar Members, and litigants etc. A total of 03 benches were constituted, that took up a total number of 597 cases, out of which 567 cases were disposed-off/ amicably settled, resulting in a settlement amount of Rs 13,17,716.
At Pulwama, 1st National Lok-Adalat was organized in District Court & other subordinate courts of District Pulwama under the Chairmanship of Malik Shabir Ahmad, Chairman District Legal Services Authority (Pr.District & Sessions Judge), Pulwama and under the supervision of Mudasar Farooq Secretary DLSA Pulwama. The Lok adalat at District headquarters Pulwama was inaugurated by PDJ Pulwama which was also attended by Judicial Officers of District Pulwama. A total number of 503 cases were taken up by 05 benches in the district out of which 346 cases were settled in the said Lok adalat. An amount of Rs, 4,59,68,236 was awarded as settlement amount in all cases including award of Rs. 28,55,000 in 05 MACT Cases.
At Shopian, the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) Shopian Saturday organized the 1st National Lok Adalat at the District Court Complex, Shopian. For the smooth conduct of the Lok Adalat, four benches were constituted by DLSA Shopian. During the Lok Adalat, a total of 362 cases were taken up. Out of these, 120 cases were successfully settled through mutual understanding, with a total settlement amount of Rs.36,74,854.
At Kulgam, Ist National Lok Adalat was held Saturday in District Kulgam, under the chairmanship of Aijaz Ahmad Khan (Principal District and Sessions Judge /Chairman District Legal Services Authority Kulgam). The National Lok Adalat was formally inaugurated by Chairman DLSA in presence of Chief Judicial Magistrate Kulgam/Sub Judge/Secretary District Legal Services Authority Kulgam, Munsiff/JMIC Kulgam, Additional Special Mobile Magistrate Kulgam and Bar members of Kulgam. 06 benches were constituted, 04 at Head quarter and 01 each at D.H.Pora and Qazigund each headed by one Judicial Officer. In the said Lok Adalat a total number of 1174 cases were taken up. Out of which 405 cases were amicably settled. An amount of Rs.59,38,620 was awarded in different cases.
At Bandipora, the Ist National Lok Adalat was held under the supervision and guidance of Chairman District Legal Services Authority, (Pr. District & Session Judge) Bandipora Khalil Ahmad Choudhary. A total 05 benches were constituted for the Lok Adalat that took up a total number of 291 cases out of which 78 Cases were settled as disposed. A total sum of Rs.25,21,015 was awarded to the aggrieved parties by settlement during the Lok Adalat.
At Kupwara, the District Legal Services Authority, Kupwara, organized 1st National Lok Adalat, across District Kupwara Saturday. The said Lok Adalat was held under the supervision of Chairman DLSA Kupwara (Pr. District & Sessions Judge, Kupwara) Manjeet Singh Manhas and guidance of Moneer Ahmad Secretary, DLSA Kupwara. 18 Benches were constituted for the said Lok Adalat that took up a total number 1289 of cases, of which 939 numbers of cases were disposed as settled on spot by intervention of the benches and by participation of the lawyers and litigants. A total sum of Rs. 2,63,32,368 was awarded to the aggrieved parties by settlement during the said National Lok Adalat.
1,88,422 cases settled in 1st National Lok Adalat held across J&K
Srinagar: Reaffirming the commitment to provide quick, affordable, and amicable resolution of disputes, the First National Lok Adalat of the year 2025 was successfully organized on Saturday across Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir under the patronage of Justice Tashi Rabstan, Chief Justice, High Court of J&K and Ladakh (Patron-in-Chief, J&K Legal Services Authority) and the dynamic mentorship of Justice Atul Sreedharan, Executive Chairman, J&K Legal Services Authority, as well as under the able guidance of Justice Rajnesh Oswal, Chairperson, High Court Legal Services Committee.The initiative aimed to promote amicable settlements in cases including MACT, matrimonial disputes, cheque bounce cases under the Negotiable Instruments Act, money recovery, commercial disputes, and compoundable criminal cases.
To ensure the maximum resolution of disputes, pre-Lok Adalat sittings and pre-counseling sessions were conducted well in advance, providing the parties with ample opportunity to engage in dialogue and reach a consensus for a permanent resolution. Additionally, webinars and virtual meetings were organized to sensitize stakeholders, officers of Legal Services Institutions, LADCs, Panel Lawyers, PLVs, and others involved in the promotion of Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR). These sessions emphasized the significance of Lok Adalats and encouraged parties to take full advantage of the opportunity.
As per the information received from various Legal Services Institutions working in different districts of J&K, out of total 1,99,853 cases taken up by 165 Benches in the day long National Lok Adalat across J&K, 1,88,422 cases were amicably settled and disposed off involving an amount of Rs. 59,04,49,391/-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.
This National Lok Adalat marked a significant milestone as it was the first such event after Shazia Tabassum, District & Sessions Judge, took charge as Member Secretary, J&K Legal Services Authority.
Speaking to media persons on the occasion, Shazia Tabassum emphasized the crucial role of Lok Adalats in reducing case pendency and ensuring speedy justice. She highlighted that dispute resolution through Lok Adalats not only saves time and resources for litigants but also fosters a culture of amicable settlements, ensuring long-term societal harmony.
She further stated that special efforts were made to enhance participation, streamline pre-litigation settlements, and encourage litigants to opt for out-of-court resolutions. Under her leadership, the J&K Legal Services Authority will continue to strengthen the ADR mechanism, ensuring that justice reaches the doorstep of every individual, particularly the marginalized and underprivileged sections of society. She expressed gratitude to the Judiciary, Legal Services Institutions, District Administration, Advocates, and other stakeholders for their collective efforts in making the National Lok Adalat a success.
She also announced that the second National Lok Adalat of the year will be held on Saturday, May 10, 2025, and a Special Lok Adalat for Consumer Cases will be organized on April 26, 2025. Litigants who could not have their cases listed in the Lok Adalat or were unable to settle their disputes for any reason are encouraged to avail themselves of the opportunity in the upcoming Lok Adalats.
