Punjab News: Punjab State Legal Services Authority successfully organized the 4th National Lok Adalat today across the State of Punjab under the visionary leadership of Hon’ble Mr. Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra, Judge, Punjab and Haryana High Court and Executive Chairman, Punjab State Legal Services Authority.
Held under the aegis of the National Legal Services Authority, the mega initiative aimed at facilitating speedy, cost-effective and amicable settlement of disputes, thereby advancing access to justice in line with Article 39-A of the Constitution of India.
The Lok Adalat recorded active participation from litigants, judicial officers, advocates and allied stakeholders. A broad range of cases including civil, matrimonial, property, motor accident claims, banking, insurance and other compoundable matters were taken up and settled through conciliation and mutual consent. The exercise brought instant relief to litigants and also contributed significantly to the reduction of pendency of cases in courts.
A total of 429 Lok Adalat Benches were constituted across all Districts and Sub-Divisions of the State. As many as 5,11,015 cases were taken up, out of which 4,54,466 cases were settled amicably and awards amounting to Rs.665 crore were passed.
The National Lok Adalat enabled thousands of litigants across Punjab to resolve disputes within a short span. Several long-pending matters, including disputes spanning over a decade, were successfully settled, leading to substantial decongestion of court dockets.
The Courts witnessed an overwhelming response from Banking Institutions, Insurance Companies, Government Departments, and the general public, reflecting the growing faith in the Lok Adalat mechanism.
Notably, during the National Lok Adalat, the District Legal Services Authority, Hoshiarpur achieved a significant success by settling a 16-year-old civil appeal arising out of a land partition dispute. The litigation, which originated in the year 2009 and had traversed multiple stages including preliminary and final decrees, was amicably resolved through sustained pre-Lok Adalat efforts. As per the settlement, the parties mutually agreed upon the relinquishment of ownership rights in respect of a portion of the disputed land against monetary consideration, thereby bringing an end to prolonged litigation and restoring harmony between the parties. The appeal was finally disposed of in this National Lok Adalat.
On this occasion, Hon’ble Mr. Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra, Executive Chairman, Punjab State Legal Services Authority, appreciated the dedicated efforts of Judicial Officers, District Legal Services Authorities and volunteers across the State, whose collective commitment ensured the successful conduct of this mega event.
Punjab State Legal Services Authority also extends its deep gratitude to the Hon’ble High Court of Punjab and Haryana, all District Legal Services Authorities, the State Judiciary, Members of the Bar, Police Authorities and the Civil Administration for their invaluable support and cooperation.
