National Lok Adalat settles over 83 k cases in tricity

Around 30,145 cases, including pre-litigation matters, pending cases and traffic challans, were disposed of by the benches of serving judicial officers, with a total settlement amount of ₹18 crore

A National Lok Adalat was organised on Saturday at the district courts complex in Sector 43, where 14 benches took up matters, including compoundable criminal cases, cheque-bounce cases under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, bank recovery cases, MACT matters, matrimonial and labour disputes, arbitration matters, civil and municipal cases, and traffic challans.

National Lok Adalats held at the district courts complex, Sector 1 in Panchkula on Saturday. (Sant Arora/HT)

Around 30,145 cases, including pre-litigation matters, pending cases and traffic challans, were disposed of by the benches of serving judicial officers, with a total settlement amount of ₹18 crore. In addition, regular benches and the permanent Lok Adalat (public utility services) disposed of 20,230 pre-litigation cases involving ₹16 lakh. The state and district consumer commissions settled 62 cases involving ₹426 crore, while the debt recovery tribunal (2) disposed of 10 cases involving ₹8 crore.

Over 25k cases disposedof in Panchkula

National Lok Adalats were also held at the district courts complex, Sector 1, Panchkula, and the sub-divisional court complex, Kalka. Eight benches were constituted at the two locations. Of 31,185 cases taken up, 25,421 were disposed of, involving a total settlement amount of ₹93 lakh.

According to the district legal services authority (DLSA) officials, 21,873 cases were disposed of in the Lok Adalat held in Mohali through compromise and awards involving ₹203 crore.

26,836 pre-litigation and pending cases were taken, including various offences and civil disputes.

It also heard cases related to electricity and water bills, service matters, revenue cases and other civil matters, including rent, easementary rights, injunction and specific performance suits.

The DLSA constituted 18 benches at the district headquarters, five at Kharar and six at Derabassi to hear the cases.

Over 6k consumer cases taken up in Mohali

The district consumer disputes redressal commission, Mohali, took up 6,216 cases during the Lok Adalat and settled matters involving ₹2 crore, according to a report submitted to the state consumer disputes redressal commission, Punjab.

The commission settled cases involving a total amount of ₹1.9 crore during the proceedings. The report was submitted by district consumer commission president SK Aggarwal to the registrar of the Punjab state consumer disputes redressal commission in Chandigarh.