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Saturday, December 6, 2014

Lok Adalat settles 1.25 crore cases in a day Saturday Dec 06,2014

The Second National Lok Adalat held across the country on Saturday Dec 06,2014 amicably settled about 1.25 crore pending and pre-litigation cases and brought financial relief of over Rs. 3,000 crore to ordinary litigants in a single day.

The Adalat held over the day and organised by the National Legal Service Authority (NALSA) has reduced backlog by about nine percent in all the States.

Even in the Supreme Court, 28 out of 53 cases put up for settlement were disposed of and cheques were handed out at the time of settlement itself.
The cases settled out of court include family disputes, matrimonial cases, motor accident claims, bank recoveries, petty criminal matters, revenue matters, disbursement of payment under the MGNREGA and other government welfare schemes.
The Lok Adalat hearings were held in courts at all levels, right from the Supreme Court to the High Courts to the taluk courts. In Delhi, the State Legal Services Authority expanded the network of Lok Adalats to include the State Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission, the Debt Recovery Tribunals, the Central Administrative Tribunals, Revenue Department Courts, Sub Divisional Magistrates and district consumer forums

Lok Adalat is a system of alternative dispute resolution developed in India  which means "People's court".

The idea of Lok Adalat was mainly advocated by Justice P.N. Bhagwati, a former Chief Justice of India

Lok Adalat is a non-adversarial system, whereby mock courts (called Lok Adalats) are held by the State Authority, District Authority, Supreme Court Legal Services Committee, High Court Legal Services Committee, or Taluk Legal Services Committee. They are held periodically for exercising such jurisdiction as they determine. These are usually presided over by retired judges, social activists, or other members of the legal profession. The Lok Adalats can deal with all Civil Cases, Matrimonial Disputes, Land Disputes, Partition/Property Disputes, Labour Disputes etc., and compoundable criminal Cases.

The focus in Lok Adalats is on compromise. When no compromise is reached, the matter goes back to the court. However, if a compromise is reached, an award is made and is binding on the parties. The disputing parties plead their case themselves in Lok Adalats. No advocate or pleader is allowed, even witnesses are not examined. No court fees is levied. Speedy justice is given to the people of all classes of society. Award has same effect as of a Civil Court decree. It was the LEGAL SERVICES AUTHORITY ACT 1987, which gave statutory status to Lok Adalat

The first Lok Adalat was held on March 14, 1982 in Gujarat.

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