Nearly 30,000 cases resolved in National Lok Adalat

Nearly 30,000 pending cases were amicably resolved during the National Lok Adalat held at district courts here and sub-divisional courts at Ajnala and Baba Bakala on Saturday. The settlements involved a total financial value of more than Rs 59 crore, highlighting the effectiveness of Lok Adalats in reducing litigation burden and ensuring timely relief to litigants.

A total of 26 benches were constituted for the National Lok Adalat in the district which took up over 33,000 cases.

Of these benches, 20 were set up at district courts while three benches each were set up at Ajnala and Baba Bakala Sahib sub-divisions to ensure a wider reach.

At Amritsar, the Lok Adalat was held under the chairmanship of District and Sessions Judge Jatinder Kaur, with coordinated efforts by the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA). Several long-pending civil disputes and cheque-related matters were settled following extensive pre-Lok Adalat counselling and persuasion, saving the parties at dispute years of further litigation.

Notably, old civil recovery disputes involving banks and private firms were resolved through mutual compromise, with parties agreeing on reduced settlement amounts and structured payment plans. Similarly, commercial disputes pending for several years were withdrawn after amicable settlements, bringing relief to both plaintiffs and defendants.

Significant success was also recorded in cheque-related disputes that had remained unresolved for nearly a decade in some instances. Through patient mediation by judicial officers, comprehensive settlements were achieved, leading to the withdrawal of connected proceedings and restoration of cordial relations.

In Ajnala sub-division as well, civil disputes pending for more than two years were resolved with the assistance of Lok Adalat benches comprising judicial officers and representatives of the Bar Association.