National Lok Adalat could be virtual if physical hearing not possible

Saurabh Malik
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, August 14

Amidst apprehensions of Covid third wave, the Punjab and Haryana High Court Legal Services Committee (HCLSC) made it clear on Saturday that the National Lok Adalat (NLA), scheduled to be held on September 11, would be organised through virtual mode if a physical hearing was not possible.

The HCLSC, functioning under the patronage of Chief Justice Ravi Shanker Jha and chairman Justice Augustine George Masih, also made it clear that the NLA would take up criminal compoundable offences, bounce cheque and money recovery cases, MACT cases, labour and employment dispute, electricity, water bills and other bill payment matters, maintenance cases and matrimonial disputes, except divorce, and land acquisition cases.

It would also take up services matters relating to pay, allowances and retirement benefits, revenue cases pending in High Court only and other civil cases such as rent, easmentary rights, injunction suits, specific performance suits etc.

The e-bi-monthly Lok Adalat held today also proved to be effective with more than 43 per cent of the cases being disposed of. Available information suggests ten Benches, presided over by the High Court Judges as president, along with senior advocates as member, disposed 206 out of 478 cases listed.

A statement issued by the High Court said HCLSC under Justice Masih, was constantly adapting to the new norms and coming up with creative solutions in the face of the unprecedented situation created by the pandemic. The introduction of e-Lok Adalat was one such innovation and may continue in the post-pandemic period.