New Delhi: Delhi State Legal Services Authority (DSLSA) organised its fourth National Lok Adalat for 2024 across various judicial forums, including Delhi High Court, district court complexes, permanent lok adalats, debt recovery tribunals, state consumer commission and district consumer commissions.
In the seven district court complexes, 352 lok adalat benches were constituted to deal with all types of civil and criminal compoundable cases. In Delhi High Court, debt recovery tribunals, consumer forums and permanent lok adalats and 15 lok adalat benches were constituted.
Overall, 1,56,692 cases were settled, and the settlement amount was Rs 1708.21 crore. Rajeev Bansal, member secretary, DSLSA, underscored that the National Lok Adalat, apart from settling cases, serves as a distinctive platform for dispute resolution, fostering conciliation and amicable settlements.
He said this initiative reflected “our unwavering commitment to nurturing a legal system that is not only fair and just but also easily accessible to all segments of society”.
Bansal also highlighted DSLSA’s continued engagement with transgenders, senior citizens, persons with disabilities, people from the north-east region of the country, and acid attack victims in the decision-making process by appointing them as ‘associate members’ in Lok Adalat benches across different court complexes.
A total of 2,79,496 cases were referred to this National Lok Adalat by Delhi High Court, tribunals/consumer forums and all district courts. These cases include 1,80,000 NBT traffic challans; 740 traffic challans which were pending in courts, 66,026 pending cases in various district courts, 30,518 pre-litigative cases, and 2,212 cases pending in Delhi High Court, debt recovery tribunals, consumer forums and permanent lok adalats.
In district courts, 1,54,973 cases were settled, and the settlement amount was Rs 270.81 crore. A total of 1,22,965 traffic challans were disposed of across Delhi for a cumulative settlement/fine amount of Rs 1.67 crore.
“The DSLSA takes immense pride in informing that one MACT case titled ‘Sunil vs. Gajender was settled in South DLSA, Saket courts complex, for an amount of Rs 90 lakh (approximately) to be paid by the insurance company to the dependants of the motor accident victim,” Bansal said.
During the lok adalats, the authority took painstaking measures to prevent overcrowding in any of the court complexes.
Apart from this, one of the oldest cases from 2016 was amicably settled in New Delhi DLSA, Patiala House courts. A lok adalat bench was also constituted at Delhi High Court, where 20 cases were settled for a settlement amount of Rs 86.11 lakh.
The benches at district consumer forums settled 206 cases for an amount of Rs 8.78 crore.
The benches of the debt recovery tribunals settled 173 cases for an amount of Rs 1422.62 crore.
The bench for electricity matters was also constituted at the permanent lok adalat, where 1,320 cases were settled for an amount of Rs 5.14 crore.
