The Yogi Adityanath government, in collaboration with the District Legal Services Authority, will organise a National Lok Adalat on December 14 across all 75 districts of Uttar Pradesh.

This initiative aims to provide citizens with a simple and efficient method for resolving disputes. The National Lok Adalat will address pending cases in civil, criminal, and revenue courts, as well as pre-litigation matrimonial disputes, through amicable reconciliation.

It will facilitate the resolution of various disputes, including compoundable criminal cases, issues related to electricity and water bills, cheque bounce cases under Section 138 of the NI Act, bank recovery matters, revenue cases, motor accident compensation claims, and other civil disputes.

The goal of the National Lok Adalat is to foster harmony between disputing parties while saving time and money. The decisions made during the Lok Adalat are final and cannot be appealed in any other court.

Additionally, the court fees paid are refunded to the parties, making the process cost-effective. The rulings of the Lok Adalat carry the same legal weight as those of a civil court.

For convenience, traffic-related challans can be resolved online through e-payment on the website vcourts.gov.in.

Residents of the state who wish to resolve pending cases through reconciliation can approach the presiding officer of the relevant court or contact the office of the District Legal Services Authority in their district to have their cases included in the National Lok Adalat.

What is pre-litigation marital dispute?

A pre-litigation marital dispute refers to conflicts between a husband and wife that arise before any legal proceedings are initiated. To resolve such disputes, either spouse can submit an application to the District Legal Services Authority, providing a brief description of the issue. Upon receiving the application, the opposing party will be notified and called for reconciliation.

A bench, comprising a family court judge and a mediator advocate, will be constituted to facilitate the resolution. The bench will work towards reconciling the parties by bringing them together for discussions. If an agreement is reached, the bench will pass a decision in the Lok Adalat. This decision is final and cannot be appealed in any other court. This process helps preserve family harmony, prevents the breakdown of relationships, and ensures that disputes are resolved amicably.