Lok Sabha Question No. 265 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-02-03
Subject: Lok Adalat in Karnal Region
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: Sanjay Bhatia

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.†265 TO BE ANSWERED ON FRIDAY, THE 3 rd FEBRUARY, 2023

## Lok Adalat in Karnal Region

## †265.SHRI SANJAY BHATIA:

## Will the Minister of LAW AND JUSTICE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government proposes to organize Lok Adalat which works as an important alternative  dispute  resolution  mechanism  available  to  the  common  people  at  block  and district level in Karnal region;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether such initiatives are likely to be undertaken there in order to resolve and settle disputes/ cases lying pending in the court of law amicably at the pre-litigation state;
- (d) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  set  up  e-seva  Kendra  in  the  district  court  in coordination with the State Government with the main objective to facilitate litigants as well  as  lawyers  in  their  services  that  are  useful  for  functioning  of  the  courts  of  the country; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF LAW & JUSTICE (SHRI KIREN RIJIJU)

- (a) and  (b)  Yes  sir,  LokAdalat  is  an  important  alternate  dispute  redressal  system  for  the common people of the country including Karnal region of Haryana state. Haryana State Legal Services Authority (HSLSA) has leveraged the mechanism of 'LokAdalat' as an effective  alternative  dispute  resolution  method  for  ensuring  quick  and  final  consensual disposal of cases binding on the parties/common people, without incurring any extra cost or fees.

HSLSA  is  regularly  organizing  following  LokAdalats  in  all  the  22  Districts Courts and 33 Sub Divisions of Haryana including Karnal region from time to time.

-  Daily LokAdalat: Every court of the Sessions Division, after court hours, gets converted into  Daily  LokAdalat  and  judicial  officers  hold  sittings  for  this,  depending  upon  the workload of cases coming for settlement every day in each court, which also includes Karnal region.
-  Jail  LokAdalats  are  conducted  on  1 st and  3 rd Wednesday  in  all  the  Jail  premises  of Haryana including Karnal region.
-  National  LokAdalats  as  per  schedule  circulated  by  NALSA  are  being  held  on  regular basis.

In  addition  to  the  above,  on  the  initiative  of  HSLSA,  the  Haryana  Government sanctioned  15  Permanent  LokAdalats  pertaining  to  public  utility  services  including Karnal  region  having  jurisdiction  for  21  Districts  of  Haryana  except  District  Charkhi Dadri. In these Permanent LokAdalats, cases relating to Public Utility Services, in which disputes up to the value of Rs. one crore are taken up at the Pre-litigative stage and settled without any expenditure at the earliest, on the basis of conciliation. In case, conciliation fails, the PLA has the power to decide special category of cases on merits on the basis of equity, justice and good conscience, without going into legal technicalities.

The details regarding total number of category-wise cases taken up and settled in Daily  LokAdalats,  Jail  LokAdalats  and  National  LokAdalats  as  well  as  Permanent LokAdalat  for  Public  Utility  Services  in  District  Karnal  up  to  31.12.2022  are  at Annexure- A.

- (c) Cases/ disputes are being resolved or compromised on both stages i.e. at pre-litigation or at adjudicating stage in harmonious manner in the LokAdalats. The matter under section 138 of Negotiable Instrument Act, matrimonial and all civil matters are being taken up at initial  stage  for  amicable  settlement.  Whereas  compoundable  matters  are  taken  up  at adjudication stage in LokAdalat for compromise/ settlement. If the matter is

compromised,  the  same  is  disposed  of  and  in  case  no  settlement  is  arrived,  then  the parties can approach regular court for remedy of their grievances.

- (d) and  (e)  eSewa  Kendras  have  been  rolled  out  to  bridge  the  digital  divide  by  providing eFiling services to lawyers and litigants. Covering all High Courts and one District Court as pilot project, it is being expanded to cover all court complexes. In Phase-II of e-Courts Mission Mode Project, Government has released Rs. 12.54 crore for setting up of eSewa Kendras. The eSewa Kendras are being set up at the entry point of the court complexes with the intention of facilitating the lawyer or litigant who needs any kind of assistance ranging from information to facilitation and e-filing. For setting up the eSewa Kendras in North-East region, all the Court Complexes have been taken for calculation purpose. All High Court, Benches and one District Court Complex has been taken for the rest of India. As on 31.12.2022, 689 eSewa Kendras have been made functional under 25 High Courts.

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Statement  as  referred  to  in  reply  to  Lok  Sabha  Unstarred  Question  No.  †265  for answering  on  03.02.2023  raised  by  Shri  Sanjay  Bhatia,  MP  -  LokAdalat  in  Karnal Region

Statement  containing  details  of  category-wise  cases  taken  up  and  settled  in  Daily LokAdalats, Jail LokAdalats and National LokAdalats as well as Permanent LokAdalats for Public Utility Services in District Karnalupto 31.12.2022

|                                          | DAILY LOKADALAT   | NATIONAL LOKADALAT   |
|------------------------------------------|-------------------|----------------------|
| Total No. of LokAdalats                  | 29,873            | 365                  |
| Total No. of cases taken up              | 3,75,457          | 2,02,221             |
| Total No. of cases settled               | 2,04,679          | 84,784               |
| Criminal Cases                           | 16,552            | 7,508                |
| Section 138 of Negotiable Instrument Act | 14,565            | 4,618                |
| Bank Cases                               | 1,072             | 1,253                |
| MACT Cases                               | 3,234             | 790                  |
| HMCases                                  | 3,038             | 621                  |
| Labour Cases                             | 373               | 80                   |
| Land Cases                               | 37                | 0                    |
| Civil Cases                              | 20,539            | 3,017                |
| Revenue Cases                            | 2,303             | 4,455                |
| Others Cases                             | 1,39,951          | 5,509                |
| Pre-litigation cases                     | 1,997             | 7,352                |

## JAIL LOK ADALAT

|   No. of Jail LokAdalats held | No. of cases taken up   |   No. of cases disposed of |
|-------------------------------|-------------------------|----------------------------|
|                           128 | 1,025                   |                        505 |

## PERMANENT LOK ADALAT (PUBLIC UTILITY SERVICES)

| No. of LokAdalats/Sittings   | No. of cases instituted   | No. of cases settled   |
|------------------------------|---------------------------|------------------------|
| 1,813                        | 9,090                     | 8,530                  |

| No. of cases settled   |
|------------------------|
| 300                    |
| 2,272                  |
| 266                    |
| 39                     |
| 14                     |
| 470                    |
| 4,908                  |
| 261                    |
| 8,530                  |