Focus laid on ensuring safety of litigants, officers

Tribune News Service

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Chandigarh, December 10

In view of the pandemic, a review meeting was held today for taking precautions to ensure the safety of litigants, staff and officers of the court during the National Lok Adalat on December 12.

The Punjab State Legal Services Authority has decided to hold National Lok Adalat in the e-Lok Adalat format for the first time in the entire state on December 12.

The meeting was held by Justice Jaswant Singh, Judge, Punjab and Haryana High Court, and Executive Chairman, State Legal Services Authority, Chandigarh. It was directed that all necessary precautions were to be taken to ensure the safety of litigants, staff and officers of the court.

It was decided that it should be ensured that not more than 50 cases were to be marked to each court. Not more than two litigants were to be allowed inside the court room at any time and scattered timings should be given to the litigants. Thermal screening to be done at the entrance to the court premises, besides making available adequate sanitisers and providing gloves, masks and other protective material to all staff members. Social distancing should be maintained throughout the court premises, besides deputing additional staff to ensure that all directions are adhered to.

During this Lok Adalat, all type of civil cases and criminal compoundable cases will be taken up for amicable settlement. To achieve maximum disposal of cases, 11 Benches have been constituted to take up the cases.

In addition to these cases, traffic challans, STA challans, Shop Act cases, Registrar of Companies Act, Municipal Corporation matters, etc., will also be taken up in the Lok Adalat. Of the 11 Benches, four have been exclusively set up for disposal of cases under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act and one exclusive Bench has been set up for the settlement of matrimonial cases.