DSLA Kathua organises Special Lok Adalat

7 Benches settle 335 cases, realise Rs 97.92 lakh as settlement amount

KATHUA, October 07: Under the insightful directions of Executive Chairman, J&K Legal Services Authority Justice Tashi Rabstan and also under the radiant guidance of Chairman, District Legal Services Authority, Kathua Ashok Kumar Shavan, (also Pr. District & Sessions Judge, Kathua), a Special Lok Adalat on Matrimonial Cases, MACT, Bank Recovery Cases, Criminal Compoundable Cases, and other Pre-Litigation matters of the calendar year 2023 was held today in District Court Complex Kathua.

The Special Lok Adalat was formally inaugurated by Chairman, District Legal Services Authority, Kathua Ashok Kumar Shavan, (also Pr. District & Sessions Judge, Kathua) with the ceremonial lighting of the ceremonial lamp. In his address to the mammoth gathering, the Chairman DLSA threw light on the purpose of holding the Special Lok Adalat.

A total of Seven Benches for settling the referred cases were constituted in which Bench No. 1 was comprising of Principal District & Sessions Judge, Kathua Ashok Kumar Shavan, and Special Mobile Magistrate, Kathua Surinder Kumar Thappa,; Bench No. 2 was comprising of Additional District & Sessions Judge, Kathua Kusoom Pandita, and Deputy Chief Legal Aid Defence Counsel, DLSA, Kathua Puneet Kumari,; Bench No. 3 was comprising of , Chief Judicial Magistrate, Kathua Swati Gupta and District Mobile Magistrate, Kathua Neena Thakur,; Bench No. 4 was comprising of Munsiff JMIC, Basohli Jeevan Kumar Sharma and President, Bar Association Basohli, Advocate Shub Kumar,; Bench No. 5 was comprising of Munsiff JMIC, Billawar Jyoti Bhagat, and Member, Billawar Poonam Gupta,; Bench No. 6 was comprising of Munsiff JMIC, Mahanpur Rajni Bhagat, and Teshildar/EMIC Mahanpur Radhika Sohan,. Bench 7 connsited of Munsiff JMIC, Hiranagar Rimpi Rani and President Bar Association Hiranagar Vijay Kumar.

 Secretary, District Legal Services Authority Kathua Rekha Kapoor Nischal, coordinated the Special Lok Adalat of the calendar year, 2023 organized at ADR Centre, District Court Complex Kathua.

The matters placed before the Benches included Hindu Marriage Act (HMA), Motor Vehicle Act, MACT Cases, Bank Recovery (both pre-litigation and post-litigation) matters, Criminal Compoundable, and also Traffic Challans. While settling matrimonial cases, in a best endeavour by the benches, 3 cases titled 1. Natish Chalotra Vs Madhumita Shrivastava, 2. Daulat Singh Vs Sushama Devi and 3. Tinku Kumar Vs Surishta Devi filed by one  party for seeking the divorce, by the efforts of the bench, they  were pursued for resumption of marital relation which saved their home and further married life. So it has proved to be an effective Lok Adalat.

A total number of 459 cases were taken up for amicable settlement out of which 335 cases were settled and an amount of Rs. 97, 92, 244/- was realised as settlement amount.