National Lok Adalat Organized by Pune District Legal Services Authority Witnesses Massive Participation
Pune, 15th August 2023: The Pune District Legal Services Authority successfully hosted the National Lok Adalat on September 9, witnessing an overwhelming response from claimants seeking compromise settlements. A staggering 75,404 claims have been submitted for consideration in the Lok Adalat, with expectations of further submissions on the rise.
Sonal Patil, Chairperson of the Pune District Legal Services Authority, disclosed that among the total claims presented for compromise, 38,798 are pre-filed while 36,606 are currently pending. The Lok Adalat, conducted under the prudent guidance of Chief District Judge Shyam Chandak, who also serves as the Chairman of the Pune District Legal Services Authority, follows the directives of the National Legal Services Authority and the Maharashtra Legal Services Authority.
The ambit of compromiseable claims spans across various categories, including Criminal, Civil, Cheque bounce, Bank Debt Recovery, Labor Disputes, Electricity and Water Bills, Family Claims, Motor Accident Tribunal cases, Land Acquisition disputes, Revenue matters, and Traffic Complaints. A panel comprising judges, retired judges, legal experts, and social workers is tasked with the responsibility of facilitating settlements for these claims. Notably, this edition of the Lok Adalat boasts an expanded panel of 75, whereas the previous iteration featured 54 panels.
Over the past years, Pune has consistently maintained its reputation for being at the forefront of claim settlements within the state. In the previous Lok Adalat, the authority managed to address 44,614 pending claims, successfully settling 16,645 of them. Impressively, a staggering 1,022,119 pre-admission claims were submitted, of which 104,532 were amicably resolved.
The mechanism of compromise within the Lok Adalat not only expedites the resolution process but also alleviates the financial and psychological burdens on the involved parties. By offering swifter access to justice, the Lok Adalat serves as a beacon of equitable dispute resolution, assuaging concerns from both claimants and counter-claimants.
Principal District Judge Shyam Chandak emphasized the paramount importance of parties opting for Lok Adalat-mediated settlements, promoting harmony, amicability, and a shared pursuit of justice without fostering animosity.
