Bilaspur, December 10, 2024: A review meeting in regard to preparations for the fourth and final National Lok Adalat of 2024, scheduled for December 14, 2024, was conducted via video conferencing under the chairmanship of Hon’ble The Chief Justice of the Chhattisgarh High Court and Patron-in-Chief of the Chhattisgarh State Legal Services Authority (CGSLSA), Hon’ble Shri Justice Ramesh Sinha. The meeting was graced by the presence of Hon’ble Shri Justice Sanjay K. Agrawal, Executive Chairman of CGSLSA, and Hon’ble Shri Justice Parth Pratim Sahu, Chairperson of the High Court Legal Services Committee.
The meeting was attended virtually by Principal District Judges/Chairpersons of District Legal Services Authorities (DLSA), Secretaries of DLSA, Principal Judges of Family Courts, Chairpersons of Permanent Lok Adalats (Public Utility Services), Chief Judicial Magistrates, and Judges of Labor Courts from across the state.
Addressing the gathering, Hon’ble The Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha emphasized the importance of resolving eligible cases amicably through mutual agreement in Lok Adalats. He underscored that the increasing pendency of cases in courts necessitates a concerted effort to settle such cases through Lok Adalats.
Hon’ble The Chief Justice highlighted that resolving disputes in Lok Adalats benefits both parties involved while significantly reducing the pendency of cases in courts. This, in turn, enables presiding officers to devote more time to resolving other pending cases during judicial working hours. He stressed the need to prioritize the resolution of civil, criminal, and other cases eligible for settlement during the upcoming National Lok Adalat on December 14, 2024.
Hon’ble The Chief Justice further emphasized the importance of resolving pre-litigation cases submitted by banks, financial institutions, electricity distribution companies, BSNL, insurance companies, and other entities. He stated that settling disputes at the pre-litigation stage prevents such cases from reaching the courts, thereby benefiting both parties and reducing the influx of cases into the judicial system.
Hon’ble The Chief Justice urged all stakeholders to ensure the effective organization of Lok Adalats and achieve the objective of resolving maximum cases through mutual agreement in accordance with the law.
In line with the calendar set by the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), New Delhi, the National Lok Adalat will be conducted on December 14, 2024, across all levels of the judiciary, from the High Court to Tehsil Courts, as well as in revenue courts. As per the information & data received from districts so far, a total of 1,001,120 cases have been identified for settlement, including 927,749 pre-litigation cases and 73,371 pending cases in courts. Preparations are in full swing & efforts are being made to explore settlement possibilities among the disputing parties in the final National Lok Adalat of 2024, scheduled for December 14, 2024.
