Lok Adalats eased courts' pressure, decided 8.2 crore cases: SC Judge T S Thakur

NEW DELHI: The already over-burdened judiciary has been aided by the alternate dispute redressal mechanism of Lok Adalats which have decided 8.25 crore pre- litigation and pending cases in over 15.14 sittings in the last two decades, senior Supreme Court judge T S Thakur said today.

Justice Thakur, the Executive Chairman of National Legal Services Authority ( NALSA) who would succeed Chief Justice H L Dattu, said Lok Adalats have been effective and have "relieved judiciary of a huge burden of trial, appeals and revisional proceedings and resultant delays in the disposal of these matters" as their decisions are final and binding.

"To sum up, since January to September this year, more than 1.28 lakh Lok Adalats have been organised in the country and more than 57 lakh cases, including those pending in courts and those at pre-litigation stage, have been settled.

"It is also pertinent to mention that as on 30th September, a total of more than 15.14 lakh Lok Adalats have been organised in the country and 8.25 crore cases, including cases pending in the courts as well as those in the pre- litigation stage, have been settled in these Lok Adalats," he said in his address on Legal Services Day and Commendation Ceremony, also attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Highlighting the benefits of the NALSA Act, Justice Thakur said it gave support to the poor people fighting the mighty state, which is the key litigant against whom 80 per cent matters were filed.

"We know the state is the biggest litigant in the judicial system of this country. Eighty per cent of the litigation is against the state. Against the mighty state against whom the litigant has to fight his case, poorer sections of the society find themselves isolated.

"It was in that spirit of ensuring access to justice to such sections pitted against the state becomes a reality, Parliament has made such a programme. That will continue to be so. No system, no polity, no society can survive where you don't not ensure justice...," he said.

Justice Thakur also sought the support of public broadcasters, All India Radio and Delhi Doordarshan, and urged the Prime Minister to ask them not to charge NALSA and the State Legal Services Authorities (SALSAs) in promoting legal awareness among the masses.