Punjab Lok Adalat settles over 5 lakh cases, awards Rs 761 crore; reunites families

The first National Lok Adalat of 2026 in Punjab resulted in the amicable settlement of 5,07,385 cases out of 5,69,425 taken up across the state, with awards amounting to about Rs 761 crore, while also producing striking outcomes such as reconciliation of estranged couples and closure of disputes pending for years.

Organised across the state on Saturday under the aegis of the National Legal Services Authority, the Lok Adalat was held under the patronage of Punjab and Haryana High Court Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and the leadership of Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra, Executive Chairman of the Punjab State Legal Services Authority.

A total of 465 Lok Adalat Benches were constituted across districts and sub-divisions of Punjab to take up matters ranging from civil and matrimonial disputes to motor accident claims, banking, insurance, cyber fraud cases and other compoundable cases, providing litigants an opportunity to resolve disputes through conciliation and mutual settlement.

Among the notable outcomes was a unique initiative in Barnala where directions were issued for the release of Rs 20,70,281 in 40 cyber fraud cases, bringing relief to victims whose bank amounts had remained frozen. The District Legal Services Authority contacted the victims after receiving details from the cyber cell and facilitated applications for release of the funds during the Lok Adalat proceedings.

Another important matter was the settlement of a matrimonial dispute pending for over six years at the Family Court in Mohali. The case, filed in March 2019 under the provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure seeking maintenance, had spawned several civil and criminal proceedings between the spouses over the years.

During the Lok Adalat proceedings, the parties were persuaded to resolve their differences through counselling and negotiations before the Bench. They eventually agreed to amicably settle all pending disputes, bringing an end to the entire chain of matrimonial litigation.

Another dispute at Mohali District Courts, involving a petition for divorce by mutual consent under the provisions of the Hindu Marriage Act, also took a different turn during Lok Adalat proceedings. Following counselling, the spouses decided to reconcile in the interest of their child and withdrew the divorce petition.

Similarly, a matrimonial dispute pending under the Guardians and Wards Act over visitation rights of a minor child was resolved through intervention and counselling during the Lok Adalat. The parties ultimately agreed to a compromise and decided to resume married life, leaving the court premises together with their child.

Lok Adalat proceedings across the state also resolved several long-pending civil and financial disputes.

The Barnala Lok Adalat also saw the closure of a civil recovery dispute dating back to 2009, which had remained unresolved despite a decree passed in 2011 and attachment of property in 2013. Through intervention of the Lok Adalat Bench, the matter was settled and the claim satisfied, following which the attachment on the defendant’s property was released, ending nearly two decades of litigation.

At Muktsar, a maintenance dispute pending for nearly two years was amicably resolved during the Lok Adalat proceedings, resulting in the rehabilitation of the applicant in the matrimonial home.

In another case at Gidderbaha, a civil dispute over possession pending since 2019 was settled amicably, leading to withdrawal of the suit and refund of court fees to the plaintiff. A separate dispute involving specific performance and recovery of Rs 64 lakh was also settled through a compromise for Rs 46 lakh, bringing the litigation to an end.

The Lok Adalat proceedings also led to settlement of property disputes, accident claims and execution petitions across districts, including the implementation of a 2011 industrial tribunal award in Bathinda, where an employee was reinstated with continuity of service after the employer agreed to implement the award during the Lok Adalat.

Legal services authorities said the large-scale settlements highlighted the growing acceptance of the Lok Adalat mechanism as a speedy and cost-effective alternative dispute resolution system, while also significantly contributing to reduction of court pendency across the state.