3rd National Lok Adalat held on 14.09.2024 in 22 Districts and 34 Sub-Divisions of Haryana
Acting under the aegis of National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) and the vision of Hon’ble Executive Chairperson, NALSA Sh. Sanjeev Khanna, Judge, Supreme Court of India, the Haryana State Legal Services Authority (HALSA) organized the 3rd National Lok Adalat on 14th September, 2024 under the overall leadership of its Patron-in-Chief, HALSA
Sh. Sheel Nagu, Hon’ble the Chief Justice, Punjab and Haryana High Court and the guidance and concerted efforts of its Executive Chairperson
Sh. Arun Palli, Hon’ble Judge, Punjab and Haryana High Court. The National Lok Adalat was organized in all the 22 districts and 34 sub-divisions of Haryana through the District Legal Services Authorities (DLSAs) by way of constituting 167 benches for both pre-litigation and pending court cases. A wide array of cases from various categories including civil, matrimonial, motor accident claims, bank recovery, cheque bounce, traffic challans, compoundable criminal cases etc. including the cases of Permanent Lok Adalats (Public Utility Services) working in the ADR Centres numbering more than 4.5 lac were referred to the Lok Adalat benches for settlement by way of mutual consent. The purpose of holding National Lok Adalat is to provide a platform to the litigants to settle their disputes amicably without any delay, while the award of Lok Adalat is final and there is a provision for refund of court fees in case of settlement in Lok Adalat.
In the run-up to the National Lok Adalat, Hon’ble Mr. Justice Arun Palli personally interacted with all the learned District and Sessions Judges-cum-Chairpersons, DLSAs and CJMs-cum-Secretaries, DLSAs through Video Conferencing and motivated them to make all efforts for settlement of a maximum number of cases.
Sh. Surya Partap Singh, Learned District & Sessions Judge-cum-Member Secretary, HALSA informed that in today’s National Lok Adalat including Pre-Lok Adalat sittings, around 04 lacs cases, both pre-litigative and pending court cases, were disposed of.
During the course of conduct of National Lok Adalat, several success stories emerged.
In Karnal a case of marital discord came to the forefront at National Lok Adalat held on 14/09/2024. Neeraj and Deeksha, a married couple for over a decade, had been embroiled in a long-standing conflict, leading to Neeraj filing for divorce. During the initial discussions, it was evident that both Neeraj and Deeksha were emotionally exhausted. The Lok Adalat Bench encouraged them to reflect on their shared history, their children, and the potential for reconciliation. In Lok Adalat, Neeraj and Deeksha began to rediscover the reasons they had initially come together. A pivotal moment came when Neeraj, who had been adamant about his decision to divorce, began to reconsider. In a remarkable turn of events, Neeraj and Deeksha decided to withdraw their divorce petition. The Lok Adalat’s mediation had not only provided them with a legal avenue to resolve their issues but had also rekindled their personal commitment to each other. Neeraj and Deeksha’s’s story should be highlighted as an example of how Lok Adalats can play a crucial role in not just legal disposal but in healing relationships and restoring harmony within families.
In Faridabad, even the rain gods couldn’t dampen the enthusiasm at the Faridabad courts today. More than a thousand people turned up for the Lok Adalat festival, where no one leaves defeated. In one notable case, a man who used to sell vegetables for a living appeared before the bench led by Sh. Amrit Singh Chaliya, Additional District and Sessions Judge. He had been left without work due to injuries sustained in the accident. Without concrete evidence, his chances of receiving compensation from the insurance company seemed slim. However, the bench was determined to seek justice. The learned District and Sessions judge Sh Sandeep Garg also played a crucial role, enlisting the help of Dr. Abhishek Varshney, an orthopedic surgeon, who assessed the applicant’s disability on the spot. After some negotiation and persuasion by the court, the insurance advocate conceded and agreed to provide Rs. 3.4 lakhs as compensation.