Country’s first e-Lok Adalat inaugurated in C’garh
12 Jul 2020 09:51:43
Chief Justice of High Court of Chhattisgarh Justice and Patron-in-Chief of Chhattisgarh State Legal Services Authority (CGSLSA) P R Ramachandra Menon said that e-Lok Adalat is a noble idea for hearing and disposal of cases during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Addressing the inaugural programme of India’s first state-level “e-Lok Adalat” through video conferencing at the High Court Bilaspur on Saturday, Chief Justice Menon said that it is a team work to provide justice to the people by holding e-Lok Adalat during the corona crisis. Around 3,133 cases including 146 cases in the High Court were taken up for settlement in various courts of the State in the e-Lok Adalat.
The Chief Justice said, “We are doing a wonderful work to provide justice to the people even during the corona crisis. In 2019, there were 45,230 pending cases in the High Court, in which 39,480 cases were disposed. In 2020, 10,639 cases were filed from January to March, in which 8,736 cases were disposed. 5,212 cases have been filed from April to till date, in which 3,946 cases were disposed. In the district courts, 6,110 cases have been filed during the corona period, in which 2,219 cases were disposed.” Justice Menon said that all the judicial staffs are supporting the judges to deliver justice to the litigants during the corona crisis period. Lawyers and litigants are more affected due to the Covid-19 lockdown and they have suffered hardship during the period. The High Court has decided to cancel summer vacation to hear urgent cases to provide justice to the litigants. Everyone has shown their willingness to work in the summer vacation. Urgent cases are being considered to some extent during the COVID-19 period, he said.
In his presidential address, Judge of High Court and Executive Chairman of the CGSLSA Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra said the e-Lok Adalat is a significant legal aid movement that is helping to provide justice to the litigants during the corona crisis period. “To provide access to justice, the God has inspired us to hold the e-Lok Adalat to hear or settle cases during this period,” said Justice Mishra.
Executive Chairman of the CGSLSA Justice Mishra said that the Chief Justice Menon motivated for holding the e-Lok Adalat in the state. Justice Mishra also expressed gratitude towards Chief Justice of India Sharad Arvind Bobde and National Legal Services Authority Executive Chairman Justice N V Ramana for extending their support to hold the e-Lok Adalat. Justice Mishra said that people have enthusiastically come to the courts to settle their cases in the e-Lok Adalat.
“We have to deliver justice whatever means physical or virtual medium. The litigants want to settle their dispute through the e-Lok Adalat. The e-Lok Adalat will be repeated after its success to provide justice to the people during the emergency situation. Technology is helping us to provide justice to the people during the COVID-19 crisis period,” said Justice Mishra.
In his address, Judge of the High Court and Chairman of Committee for Computerization of High Court Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava said that the CGSLSA has taken a unique initiative to organise India’s first state level “e-Lok Adalat”. Legal aid would be more eventuated and it would reach to the people in virtual mode. It is not possible to operate public departments effectively during the corona crisis, he added.
In his address, Judge of High Court and Chairman of High Court Legal Services Committee Justice Goutam Bhaduri said that it was not an easy task to implement “e-Lok Adalat” and it has been implemented with the support of judges, lawyers and other judicial officials to provide justice to the people.
Registrar General of the High Court Neelam Chand Sankhla gave the welcome address. In-charge Registrar (Computerization) of the High Court Shahabuddin Qureshi gave a brief note about the e-Lok Adalat. Member Secretary of the CGSLSA Siddharth Aggarwal proposed the vote of thanks.
Justice Gautam Chourdiya, Advocate General Satish Chandra Verma, State Bar Council President Prabhakar Singh Chandel, High Court Bar Association Secretary Rakesh Pandey, judges, judicial officials, lawyers and others attended the programme through video conferencing. All the judges of the district judiciary, president and secretary of the district bar associations also witnessed the programme through video conferencing. The e-Lok Adalat was held in the High Court, district courts and tehsil courts in the state. 5067 cases were taken up in the e-Lok Adalat of which 2270 cases were settled for an amount of over 43.72 crore.