According to tentative figures received up to 7 pm on September 12, a total of2,10,39,112 caseswere settled. Of these,1,90,75,743 were pre-litigation matters, while19,63,369 cases were pending before courts.
The figures do not include Karnataka, Rajasthan and Delhi, where the National Lok Adalat is scheduled to be held on September 19, October 10 and October 25, respectively. Data from jurisdictions where figures were still being received was also excluded, NALSA said in a press release.
Lok Adalat benches were constituted across26 States and seven Union Territories, bringing together judicial officers, advocates, para-legal volunteers and litigants at different levels of the justice delivery system, ranging from High Courts to taluka courts.
In his message ahead of the National Lok Adalat, Chief Justice of India and NALSA Patron-in-ChiefJustice Surya Kantstressed the importance of making access to justice a reality for citizens and urged people to use Lok Adalats as a faster and simpler mechanism for resolving disputes.
“Access to justice is not merely a principle but a lived reality that must reach every doorstep,” the CJI said.
NALSA Executive ChairmanJustice Vikram Nathhighlighted the role of Lok Adalats in reducing the burden of pending cases and facilitating consensual settlements. He said the mechanism helps parties reach mutually acceptable solutions without the prolonged costs and delays associated with litigation.
A wide range of disputes were taken up during the National Lok Adalat, includingcheque-bounce cases, motor accident claims, matrimonial disputes, labour disputes, consumer complaints, land acquisition matters, succession disputes, small business arbitration claims, compoundable criminal cases and traffic challans.
Bank recovery cases, service matters, revenue disputes and grievances relating to public utilities were also considered.
Long-pending matters identified through theNational Judicial Data Grid (NJDG)were given special priority for settlement.
Awards passed by Lok Adalats have the status and finality of a decree and are binding on the parties. Such awards are not subject to appeal, while court fees paid by litigants are refunded, making Lok Adalat a cost-effective mechanism for dispute resolution.
The National Lok Adalat is part of NALSA’s wider efforts to improve access to justice throughfree legal aid, legal awareness programmes, mediation and conciliation, victim compensation, legal services clinics and a nationwide network of panel lawyers and para-legal volunteers.
The initiative is in line with NALSA’s constitutional mandate to ensure that no person is denied access to justice because of economic or other disabilities.
