National Lok Adalat on Dec 9

Tribune News Service

Patiala, November 16

Under the guidance of Rupinderjit Chahal, District and Sessions Judge-cum-Chairman, District Legal Services Authority, Patiala, the National Lok Adalat will be held in the district on December 9.

The Lok Adalat will be held pertaining to all types of cases including pre-litigative cases, cheque bounce cases, money recovery cases, labour and employment dispute cases, electricity and water bills, other bill payment cases (excluding non-compoundable), maintenance cases, others criminal compoundable and other civil disputes, pending in the courts/ tribunals, criminal compoundable offences, MACT cases, labour and employment dispute cases, matrimonial disputes (except divorce), land acquisition cases (pending before civil courts/tribunals), service matters relating to pay, allowances and retirement benefits, revenue cases (pending in district court) and other civil cases (such as rent, easmentary rights, injunction suits, specific performance suits), etc.

Benches of Judicial Courts will be constituted at Patiala, Rajpura, Samana and Nabha for this purpose. A meeting was held by Manni Arora, Secretary, District Legal Services Authority, Patiala, with DDPO and BDPOs in this regard, in Patiala block. During the meeting, they were made aware about the categories of cases to be taken up in National Lok Adalat. They were also made aware that primary objective of the Lok Adalats is to settle disputes amicably through compromise, to save time and money of the parties and reduce personal enmity between them.

Except non-compoundable criminal cases, all kinds of cases even at pre-litigative stage can be brought before said Lok Adalats for amicable settlement. She also told that when a case is settled in the Lok Adalat, its award becomes final and no appeal lies against it. Court fees (if paid any) are refunded, and parties at dispute get speedy disposal of their problem as per their own mutually settled terms. It is a win-win situation for both parties.

“An appeal is made to public, to put forward their pending disputes before upcoming Lok Adalats, to save time and money. For this purpose, every litigant willing for settlement through Lok Adalat can request the Presiding Officer of the court where his case is pending,” said Manni Arora.

“Even in compoundable criminal cases, the party can move an application to put the matter in Lok Adalat. In case of pre-litigative matter, a request can be made to the Secretary, District Legal Services Authority, Patiala,” she added.