Bengaluru: More than one crore pending and pre-litigation cases were resolved in the Lok Adalat held on December 13 across Karnataka, including the High Court and courts at various levels, marking one of the largest dispute resolution exercises in the state. This was announced by Justice Anu Sivaramana, Executive Chairman of the Karnataka State Legal Services Authority (KSLSA).

Addressing a press conference at the High Court on Tuesday, Justice Sivaramana said a total of 1,04,66,237 cases were settled in the Lok Adalat, resulting in compensation and settlements amounting to Rs 3,103 crore. He described the outcome as a significant step in reducing pendency and providing speedy justice to litigants.

Under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2,469 cases were settled, with disputes involving around Rs 8.14 crore resolved. In civil cases relating to family property disputes, 3,673 cases were disposed of, settling claims worth approximately Rs 43 crore.

A major share of the compensation involved motor accident claim cases, where 4,660 matters were resolved, providing victims and their families compensation totaling nearly Rs 297 crore. Justice Sivaramana noted that motor accident cases typically involve high monetary relief and prolonged litigation, making Lok Adalats particularly beneficial for affected families.

Cheque dishonour cases also saw substantial progress, with 13,517 check bounce cases settled, resolving disputes worth Rs 633 crore. In addition, land acquisition execution cases amounting to Rs 121 crore and other execution cases involving Rs 264 crore were resolved, offering long-awaited relief to litigants.

Traffic challan discount draws massive response

Justice Sivaramana highlighted the overwhelming public response to the 50 percent discount on traffic fines announced by the state government on the recommendation of the Legal Services Authority. The concession applied to pending traffic violation cases from 1990 to 2020. On a single day, 24,29,461 traffic challan cases were settled across the state, resulting in the collection of over Rs 56 crore in fines. Additionally, 902 cases related to the Transport Department were resolved, yielding around Rs 29 lakh in penalties.

Old and long-pending cases cleared

The Lok Adalat also focused on clearing long-pending cases. A total of 2,675 old cases were settled, including 2,268 cases older than five years, 351 cases over ten years old, and 56 cases pending for more than fifteen years. Notably, a 19-year-old partition suit pending before a Bengaluru Rural court was successfully resolved.

Technology enables access to justice

Technology played a crucial role in facilitating settlements. Justice Sivaramana said 2,144 cases involving senior citizens were resolved, including a remarkable instance in Ramanagara where a 92-year-old woman settled a property dispute through video conferencing. Her son, who was in London, also participated virtually, enabling an amicable settlement.