National Lok Adalat held across Punjab: Over 3.76 lakh cases taken up by 366 benches
Lok Adalat Concept: A Way Forward Towards Amicable Settlement of Disputes
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, September 14, 2024: In an effort to reduce the backlog of pending litigation and to settle maximum number of cases in an amicable way, the Punjab State Legal Services Authority under the aegis of National Legal Services Authority has organized National Lok Adalat on September 14, 2024 throughout the State of Punjab.
This mega event, under the able guidance of Hon'ble Mr. Justice Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia, Judge, Punjab & Haryana High Court and Executive Chairman of the State Authority aimed to resolve disputes effectively across the State of Punjab.
During this National Lok Adalat, 366 Lok Adalat benches were constituted in 22 districts in which over 3,76,000 cases were taken up for settlement. National Lok Adalat stands as one of the key efforts by the Legal Services Authorities to not only reduce the pending litigation burden but also to promote pre-litigative settlements. The process facilitates amicable resolutions offering a faster and cost- effective alternative to traditional litigation.
The benefits of Lok Adalats are manifold. It saves the time and reduces the financial burden on the litigants as in the cases in which settlement is arrived, the court fee is refunded.
Moreover, since the cases are resolved with the consent of both the parties, there is no option for filing an appeal making the decision final and binding. Ultimately, both the parties benefit from win-win situation as neither side experience a loss.
In addition to this, the Member Secretary, Punjab State Legal Services Authority apprised that Free Legal Aid Helpline Number 15100 is functional throughout the state of Punjab and this facility is available round the clock to the general public. This service aims to extend Free Legal assistance to the public.
The learned Member Secretary further apprised that Punjab State Legal Services Authority is dedicated in making every effort to resolve as many disputes as possible through Lok Adalats.