National Lok Adalat tomorrow

Patiala, December 7

Manjinder Singh, Member Secretary, Punjab State Legal Services Authority, SAS Nagar, visited the Alternative Dispute Redressal (ADR) Centre, District Courts Complex, Patiala, to supervise its working. He inspected the records being maintained in Legal Aid Defense Counsel System and at the Front Office, District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) Office, Patiala.

During this visit, he interacted with retainer lawyers and legal aid defence counsel. Manni Arora, Judicial Magistrate-cum-Secretary, DLSA, was also present and briefed Manjinder Singh.

Singh said National Lok Adalat pertaining to pre-litigative cases would be held in Patiala on December 9. He said all types of cases pending in courts/tribunals, including cases relating to cheque bounce; money recovery; labour and employment disputes; electricity, water bills and other bill payments; maintenance; criminal compoundable offences; MACT; land acquisition; service matters relating to pay and allowances and retirement benefits; revenue and other civil issues such as rent, easmentary rights, injunction suits, specific performance suits, etc, could be heard on that day.

“For this purpose, benches of Judicial Courts will be constituted at Patiala, Rajpura, Samana and Nabha,” he stated.

“The primary objective of the Lok Adalats is to settle the disputes amicably through compromise, to save time and money of the parties and reduce enmity between them. Except non-compoundable criminal cases, all kinds of cases even at pre-litigative stage can be brought before said Lok Adalat for amicable settlement,” he said.

He added that when a case is settled in Lok Adalat, its award becomes final and no appeal is possible. “Moreover, court fees (if paid) are refunded and the disputing parties get speedy disposal of their problem, that too as per their own mutually settled terms. So, it is a win-win situation for both parties,” he claimed.

Any litigant willing for settlement through the Lok Adalat can request the Presiding Officer of the concerned court where his case is pending. “Even in compoundable criminal cases, a party can move an application for putting up the matter in Lok Adalat,” said Manjinder Singh.