Lok Sabha Question No. 427 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-02-25
Subject: Out-of-Court Settlement
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: P.R. SUNDARAM

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

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## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 427

## TO BE ANSWERED ON THURSDAY, THE 25 TH FEBRUARY, 2016

## Out-of-Court Settlement

## 427. SHRI P.R. SUNDARAM:

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

- (a) whether the Government proposes to encourage pre-litigation and out-of-court settlements in order to reduce the number of court cases;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government has conducted any study to assess the number of court cases likely to unburden the judiciary as a result thereof;
- (d) if so, the details and the outcome thereof; and
- (e) the other steps taken/being taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF LAW AND JUSTICE (SHRI D.V. SADANANDA GOWDA)

- (a) &  (b)  Yes,  Madam.  National  Legal  Services  Authority  (NALSA)  organizes  Lok Adalats through the State Legal Services Authorities, Supreme Court Legal Services Committee, High Court Legal Services Committees, District Legal Services Authorities and Taluk Legal Services Committees for settlement of a large number of cases, both at pre-litigation and post-litigation stages. In order to reduce the pendency of cases in courts, the Legal Services Institutions under the Legal services Authorities Act,  1987,  organize  Lok  Adalats  all  over  the  country  regularly  either  on  a  daily, weekly,  fortnightly  or  monthly  basis  in  addition  to  the  National  and  Mega  Lok Adalats.  A statement showing the details of cases settled in pre-litigation stage in Lok Adalats organized on various subject matters during the year 2015 is at Annexure-A.
- (c) & (d) No, Madam. However, as indicated at Annexure A, National Lok Adalats disposed of  1.62  lakh cases  at  pre  litigation  stage,  many  of  which  may  have  otherwise  gone  to regular courts and further burdened the judiciary.
- (e) The National Lok Adalats on various subject matters, such as, bank matters/Section 138 of  the  Negotiable  Instruments  Act,  revenue/ MNREGA/Land acquisition cases, Labour and  family  matters,  MACT  and  insurance  claims/electricity/  water/telephone/public utility disputes, criminal compoundable matters, traffic/petty matters, municipal matters are being organized as per the Calendar approved by the Hon'ble Chief Justice of India and  patron-in-Chief,  NALSA  and  Hon'ble  Executive  Chairman,  NALSA.  The  State Legal Services Authorities have been issued guidelines/ directions by the NALSA vide National  Legal  Services  Authority  (Lok  Adalats)  Regulations,  2009  to  organise  Lok Adalats more effectively and for speedy disposal of cases.

## Annexure-A

## STATEMENT AS REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) & (b) OF THE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 427 FOR 25.02.2016 REGARDING OUT-OFCOURT SETTLEMENT .

A Statement showing the details of cases settled at pre-litigation stage in National Lok Adalats organized on various subject matters during the year 2015

| S.No.   | Date                    | Subject                                              | Disposal at Pre- litigation stage   |
|---------|-------------------------|------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
| 1       | 14.02.2015              | Banking Matters & U/s 138 Negotiable Instruments Act | 2,59,760                            |
| 2       | 14.03.2015              | Revenue, MNREGA, Land Acquisition etc.               | 34,59,406                           |
| 3       | 11.04.2015              | Labour &Family                                       | 3,70,532                            |
| 4       | 09.05.2015 & 13.06.2015 | MACT and Insurance Claims                            | 1,60,601                            |
| 5       | 11.07.2015              | Electricity/Water/Telephone/Public Utility dispute   | 7,16,026                            |
| 6       | 08.08.2015              | Banking Matters & U/s 138 Negotiable Instruments Act | 2,45,619                            |
| 7       | 12.09.2015              | Criminal Compoundable Matters                        | 2,99,023                            |
| 8       | 10.10.2015              | Traffic/Petty matte4rs, Municipal matters            | 11,18,983                           |
| 9       | 12.12.2015              | All types of cases                                   | 95,89,784                           |
|         | Grand Total             |                                                      | 1,62,19,734                         |