3.85 lakh cases taken up in National Lok Adalat across Punjab

In a significant push towards reducing the backlog of pending cases through amicable settlements, approximately 3,85,189 cases were taken up for resolution during the National Lok Adalat held across Punjab. The initiative, organised under the guidance of Punjab and Haryana High Court Judge and Executive Chairman of the Punjab State Legal Services Authority Justice Arun Palli, saw the constitution of 394 Lok Adalat Benches throughout the state.

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The people, including litigants, were informed during the event about the launch of the free legal aid helpline number 15,100 by the National Legal Services Authority, New Delhi. The facility, now operational across Punjab, provides round-the-clock free legal services to the public.

The matters taken up included a wide array of disputes such as civil suits, matrimonial conflicts, motor accident claims, bank loan recoveries, cheque bounce cases, traffic challans, and compoundable criminal offenses.

Member Secretary of the Punjab State Legal Services Authority Manjinder Singh visited the court complex in Fazilka to oversee the functioning of the Lok Adalat Benches. Referring to the benefits of the mechanism, he said it saved both time and financial resources for litigants. He reiterated that the essence of Lok Adalats lay in fostering an amicable dispute resolution environment, ensuring that parties leave satisfied with the outcome.

At the high court, Justice Sudeepti Sharma played a crucial role in the National Lok Adalat by disposing of 77 out of 137 listed cases. The total amount settled in these cases stood at Rs 2,42, 88,000, reflecting the effectiveness of the initiative in resolving disputes through amicable settlements.