More than 29 lakh cases disposed of through National Lok Adalat

More than 29 lakh cases were disposed in the National Lok Adalat held on Saturday under the aegis of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), led by its Executive Chairman, Justice UU Lalit of the Supreme Court. .Legal services authorities across the country organised the fourth National Lok Adalat for the year across 35 states and union territories on December 11. The hearings were conducted virtually and in hybrid mode..Data from Saturday till 4 pm indicated that 72.45 lakh cases were taken up. Out of these, 18.23 lakh were pre-litigation cases and 10.76 lakh were pending ones. A total settlement amount of over ₹4,431 crore was disbursed through the disposal of these cases..With the number of pending cases surging in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, NALSA had been organising prior consultative and review meetings with state legal services authorities, organising two such meetings towards yesterday's National Lok Adalat on November 18 and December 2..During these meetings, Justice Lalit had stressed on achieving maximum disposal of cases, guiding the legal service authorities "to follow a litigant-friendly approach as well as to persuade such litigants to settle the cases involving settled propositions of law," the release added.The Supreme Court judge instructed that all possibilities of compromise in matters regarding settlement of Negotiable Instruments Act cases, bank recovery cases and other such financial matters. He emphasised on the importance of conducting pre-Lok Adalat sittings and utilising the services of retired judicial officers as Presiding Officers of the National Lok Adalats..Through the National Lok Adalat held in September this year, 41.11 Lakh cases were disposed of, including 24.72 lakh pre-litigation cases and 16.38 lakh pending matters.27.06 lakh cases were disposed of during July's National Lok Adalat, with criminal compoundable cases, revenue cases and bank recovery cases witnessing the highest disposal rate.NALSA had directed that COVID-19 protocol be observed and prevalent during these proceedings. In Karnataka and Goa, the National Lok Adalats were postponed and will be held on December 18 this year and January 8, 2022.