Lok Adalat: More than 8.34 lakh cases settled in a day

As many as 8,34,620 cases were settled in the Lok Adalat held on Saturday. Justice B Veerappa, executive chairman of Karnataka State Legal Services Authority (KSLSA), on Monday said that out of the settled matters, 6,81,596 were pre-litigation cases.

Addressing media persons, Justice Veerappa expressed concern over incidents of misinformation to litigants about matters covered under Lok Adalat. He said that from the complaints received, it is revealed that litigants are misguided by some persons about the cases taken in the Lok Adalat.

“Section 19 (5) of the Legal Services Authorities Act determines the jurisdiction of Lok Adalat. In August 2022, National Legal Services Authority, issued a circular with details and direction to give importance to disposal of pre-litigation cases such as traffic challan cases, revenue cases, bank recovery cases, electricity and telephone dues etc. We are doing service to the people. Some people are misguiding litigants saying that petty offences do not come under Lok Adalat,” he said.

Justice Veerappa said that more than Rs 1,000 crore is pending for recovery in traffic challan cases. He said that a number of such cases are being settled in the Lok Adalat held on last Saturday. “After the police department requested KSLSA, we have managed to recover Rs 14 crore for the government in 2.46 lakh cases. In revenue matters, 94,446 cases pending before the tahsildar, assistant commissioner and deputy commissioner were settled, in bank recovery, 8,571 cases were settled and Rs 25.8 crore recovered. I am requesting people to contact us if they have any doubts about Lok Adalat cases,” he said.

Among the other cases, the Lok Adalat has settled disputes pertaining to 95,756 electricity bills and 78,716 water bills and recovered Rs 13.58 crore and Rs 13.86 crore respectively. A total of 1,380 matrimonial dispute cases were settled and 120 couples were reunited through the conciliation.

A Negotiable Instruments Act case (cheque bounce), pending before a District and Sessions Court in Ramanagara, was settled at Rs 2.93 crore. Similarly, a partition suit before a civil judge in Kalaburagi was settled with a cheque amount of Rs 2 crore paid by the defendants to the plaintiffs.