First digital Lok Adalat to be held tomorrow

India's first digital Lok Adalat, which will be completely paperless, will be held in New Delhi on Sunday to try civil and criminal cases related to ICICI Bank.

India's first digital Lok Adalat, which will be completely paperless, will be held in New Delhi Sunday to try civil and criminal cases related to ICICI Bank, an official said.

"In this Lok Adalat, both criminal cases and civil suits would be taken up. This is the first initiative in India where Lok Adalat has gone digital as there would be no movement of files," Delhi Legal Services Authority (DLSA) Project Officer Sanjay Sharma said.

Litigants involved in cheque-bounce cases would be able to avail of a digital Lok Adalat at five ditrict courts in New Delhi where 100 magistrates would resolve matters related to ICICI Bank.

Litigants can access data through the private bank's centralised database by just mentioning the credit card number, housing and auto loan number and unique ID number of the case, Sharma said.

As soon as the litigant furnishes the information, a computer printout would be generated consisting of essential details such as the unique ID number of case and name of the court that would help ICICI representatives present their view to resolve the matter.

"In case the accused or defendant and ICICI agree to settle the matter, the statement would be recorded in the performa order sheets," he said.

The inauguration of the Lok Adalat will be presided over by Supreme Court judge Arijit Pasayat.