National Lok Adalat: 21k cases disposed of in Mohali district
As many as 11,889 traffic challans, 1,397 cases under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 40 matrimonial/family disputes and 115 civil suits and rent cases were settled in Chandigarh
In a major step towards expediting justice delivery, the District Judicial Complex in Sector 76, along with additional benches in Kharar and Derabassi, resolved 21,192 cases during the National Lok Adalat held on Saturday. A total of 17 benches were constituted to facilitate mutual compromises, passing awards amounting to ₹201 crore.
The Lok Adalat, led by Atul Kasana, district and sessions judge-cum-chairman of the district legal services authority saw 23,469 cases being taken up. Judicial officers and tehsildars presided over the benches, which focused on a wide spectrum of disputes. These included criminal compoundable offences, cases under the Negotiable Instruments Act, bank recovery cases, Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal (MACT) cases, matrimonial disputes, labour and service matters, land acquisition cases, and various civil disputes.
Officials noted that the high rate of resolution was a result of extensive preparatory work. Prior to the event, coordination meetings were held with representatives from banks, electricity departments, labour departments, and insurance companies to identify cases suitable for resolution through compromise.
17,941 cases settled in Panchkula
The National Lok Adalat held at the District Courts Complex and the sub-divisional courts in Kalka successfully disposed of a total of 17,941 cases. The proceedings were presided over by six benches in Panchkula and one in Kalka, which focused on resolving disputes through mutual consent.
Principal judge (family court) Rekha noted that in family dispute cases, the court’s priority is reconciliation, with couples given an opportunity to reconsider their decisions.
While many cases were resolved, some litigants with pending traffic challans expressed disappointment. Officials clarified that only specific categories of challans were taken up, including those from 2024 where documents had been seized or returned from the virtual court, certain challans from 2025, and those from 2021, 2022, and 2023. An announcement was made in the morning that most challans from 2024 would not be entertained.
Financial settlements were also a key component of the event. In 867 bank recovery cases, an amount of ₹29.06 lakh was settled. Similarly, ₹74.03 lakh was settled in 1,170 criminal compoundable cases. In 65 civil cases, the total settlement amount was ₹2.22 crore.
Chandigarh Lok Adalat disposes of 14k cases
A total of 13 benches consisting of judicial officers resolved 14,000 cases during the National Lok Adalat at the District Court Complex, Sector 43. Among the cases disposed of, a significant number were traffic challans.
As many as 11,889 traffic challans, 1,397 cases under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 60 MACT cases, 40 matrimonial/family disputes, 115 civil suits and rent cases were settled.
Other cases included bank recovery, criminal revisions, criminal appeals, and cases related to the Shops Act, among others.
In addition to the main proceedings, various specialized tribunals contributed to the day’s success. The Permanent Lok Adalat disposed of 2,295 pre-litigative cases, settling an amount of ₹2,66,787. The Labour Court resolved 17 labour dispute cases for ₹2,20,000, and the State and District Consumer Commissions in Chandigarh decided 64 cases with a total settled amount of ₹3,51,57,436. The DRT-II, Chandigarh, handled 208 cases, resulting in a significant settlement amount of ₹94,18,69,574. The tehsildar (revenue), Chandigarh, also contributed by disposing of 57 mutations.
