Lok Adalat ensures speedy justice

Eluru: Second Additional District Judge K Sai Rama Devi said that Lok Adalats had been playing a key role in the alternative dispute resolution system in the country. She was inaugurating the National Lok Adalat at district court here on Saturday. Addressing the judicial officers and public, she said that Lok Adalats had become popular, which was reflected in the quantum jump in the number of cases received and being settled.

They included criminal compoundable cases, transport cases, matrimonial issues, civil cases, bank recovery, debt recovery tribunal cases, revenue cases, cases pertaining to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, electricity and water bills, sales tax, income tax, Forest Act, railway claims and disaster compensation, she added.

Eighth Additional District Judge S Sridevi emphasised the need for approaching Lok Adalats for early disposal of cases. She exhorted the litigants to amicably resolve their differences, saving time and money in the process. “In this alternative dispute resolution method, both the parties to the dispute are winners,” she pointed out.

District Legal Services Authority secretary A Narasimha Murthy said since the cases would be settled with mutual consent of the litigants at Lok Adalats, there would be no provision for appeal in other courts.

Eluru Bar Association president A Vijayakumar said in view of the increasing pendency of cases in courts, the only alternative forum to reduce the pendency is Lok Adalats.