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Dimapur, Feb. 8 (EMN): A total of 150 cases, mostly at pre-litigative stage, amounting to INR 69,44,947 were disposed during the national Lok Adalat held across the state on February 8.
A press release from the Nagaland state legal services authority (NSLSA) stated that a total of ten Lok Adalat sitting benches were constituted in ten districts within the premises of the district court buildings for settlement of various disputes by bringing compromise between the parties through conciliators and members presided over by one or two sitting judicial officer(s).
It stated that among the cases dealt and disposed, most of them were bank recovery cases with few cases of money suit, criminal compoundable cases. It added that five motor vehicle accident compensation cases pending before the MACT, Dimapur, was also awarded settlement and disposed during Lok Adalat.
In Phek, national Lok Adalat was organised by the Phek district legal services authority at SBI Chozuba, Phek, with presiding officer Mezivolu T Therieh, district and session judge and chairperson of Phek DLSA, accompanied by conciliators namely Theodore, ADC Chozuba, and Sekhotso Rokha, Phek DLSA panel lawyer.
Prior to holding of Lok Adalat, notices were sent to 60 borrowers within the jurisdiction of Chozuba and Yoruba village, out of which 30 persons turned up with 23 of them entering settlement. Total settlement amount stood at INR 6,79,287.
In Longleng, the first session of Lok Adalat was held at district court complex to deal with pre-litigation and pending cases and followed with mobile Lok Adalat in the second session for dealing with matters related to traffic challan at two locations.
In Kohima, Kohima district legal services authority conducted the Lok Adalat at district court premises by conducting an introductory programme in the presences of beneficiaries whereby Neichochiyi Suyie, principal district and session judge and chairman of Kohima DLSA, briefed on the importance of Lok Adalat and its benefits. He also urged the beneficiaries to take full advantage of the scheme of Lok Adalat.
Sunjib Rana, KDLSA retainer lawyer, briefed on the availability of free legal services and aid. He stated that people with income not exceeding INR 1 lakh per annum are entitled for free legal aid adding all women and children are given free legal aid and special protection.
The Lok Adalat was conducted by two presiding officers in the rank of judicial officers and six conciliators in the presence of officials from five banks. A total of 19 cases were taken up and successfully settled amounting to INR 7,52,070, while one matrimonial dispute case was also settled and disposed off.
It mentioned that Lok Adalat is a platform for the people based on the principle of serving justice on equal opportunity basis, compromise, conciliation and fair play. It is not at all a substitute to the present justice dispensation system but rather a complimentary to achieve speedy justice and a binding resolution.
It added that Lok Adalat is less inexpensive than the regular court based litigation. A person could bring a dispute or case before Lok Adalat for settlement if the dispute is not yet brought before any court in which either party to the dispute could submit an application before the chairman (or) secretary of the district legal services authority expressing his/her desire to get the dispute settled in Lok Adalat. If the case is already pending before any court/ tribunal/ authority or office, it could be referred to Lok Adalat by filing a joint memo by both the parties to it or by filing an application by either party to it.
For pending cases in courts, court could itself refer a case to Lok Adalat on its own if it considers the case to be fit for settlement in Lok Adalat. The litigants would get the same justice, which they get in the court concerned. The litigants could get their disputes settled only when they are satisfied with the compromise proposed by the conciliators. If they are not satisfied, they are at liberty to proceed with their case before the court concerned, it added.