Bengaluru's Lok Adalat breaks records: Over 10 crore cases resolved in one day | Report

On December 13, Bengaluru's National Lok Adalat resolved over 10.46 crore cases in a single day, facilitating settlements worth ₹3,103 crore.

The National Lok Adalat conducted in Bengaluru on December 13 delivered one of its largest outcomes yet, resolving more than 10.46 crore cases in a single day and facilitating settlements worth ₹3,103 crore, according to Justice Anu Sivaraman, Executive Chairperson of the Karnataka State Legal Services Authority.

Bengaluru: This initiative eased court backlogs significantly, especially focusing on long-pending traffic challans. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Justice Sivaraman said the initiative successfully cleared over three lakh long-pending court cases, while an overwhelming 10.16 crore matters were resolved at the pre-litigation stage, significantly easing the burden on courts and government departments, as per a report by The Times of India.

A major focus of the Lok Adalat was clearing the massive backlog of traffic challans pending with the transport department. To encourage settlements, the Karnataka government announced a 50 per cent waiver on traffic fines and transport-related fees for violations recorded between 1990 and 2020. The move proved effective, leading to the disposal of 24.2 lakh traffic challan cases as pre-litigation matters and generating over ₹56 crore in revenue, the report said.

Officials revealed that as of December 13, the state had been grappling with over 4.44 crore traffic challan cases pending since 2019, involving unpaid fines totalling ₹2,695 crore. Additionally, 4.3 lakh cases relating to transport offences dating back to 1991 up to 2025 were also awaiting resolution.

Beyond traffic-related matters, the Lok Adalat played a crucial role in settling sensitive and complex disputes. It resolved 2,469 matrimonial cases, including matters filed under Section 125 of the Criminal Procedure Code and the Domestic Violence Act. Property-related disputes also saw significant progress, with 3,673 partition suits being amicably settled, the report stated.

The forum further disposed of 4,660 motor accident compensation cases, awarding settlements amounting to ₹297 crore to victims and their families.

Importantly, the Lok Adalat brought closure to several cases that had lingered in the system for years. This included 2,268 cases pending for over five years, 351 cases older than a decade, and 56 cases that had remained unresolved for more than 15 years, according to the report.

HT.com has not independently verified the authenticity of this information.