“Purpose of Lok Adalat is to take justice to homes of people”: CJI Chandrachud

New Delhi [India], August 3 (ANI): The Chief Justice of India, DY Chandrachud said on Saturday that the purpose of Lok Adalat has been to take justice to the homes of people and to ensure that the Supreme Court not only handles big cases but focuses on ‘Nyay Sabke Dwar’.

Addressing the commemoration of the Special Lok Adalat in the Supreme Court of India today, CJI Chandrachud said, “A very senior secretary from the Govt of India and former civil servant said that he never knew that Supreme Court deals with such small cases because we are so used to looking at the Supreme Court dealing with all the big ticket cases which get reported on the first page of newspapers every morning.”

“What is lost to so many people is the kind of small work we do in the Supreme Court. So many people ask me why the Supreme Court has to deal with such small cases. I always respond by saying that when the Constitution was made by stalwarts like BR Ambedkar, they did it with a mission, they introduced Article 136 in the Constitution with the purpose that this was a court that was being set up in a poor society where there was an absence of access to justice,” he added.

The CJI also asserted that the idea behind the establishment of this institution was to ensure that this would be a court reaching out to the lives of common citizens and therefore ‘Nyay Sabke Dwar’.

“The purpose of Lok Adalat has been to take justice to the homes of people and to ensure that we are a constant presence in their lives,” CJI Chandrachud added.

With the aim of bringing down the backlog of cases pending before the Supreme Court, the apex court has begun its five-day special Lok Adalat on July 29.

Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud had urged citizens, who have pending cases before the Supreme Court, to take part in the Special Lok Adalat to get their disputes resolved amicably and speedily.

Lok Adalats are an essential part of the judicial system, facilitating alternative dispute resolution to expedite and encourage amicable settlements.

Cases having elements of settlement, including those relating to matrimonial and property disputes, motor accident claims, land acquisition, compensation, service and labour which are pending before the Supreme Court would be taken up to facilitate speedy disposal.