Large-scale legal settlement exercise resolves thousands of cases through mutual agreement, saving litigants time and expense
YAMUNANAGAR | PEN OF DEMOCRACY NEWS DESK
A National Lok Adalat was organised at the District Court Complex in Yamunanagar-Jagadhri under the supervision of District and Sessions Judge Dayanand Bhardwaj as part of the National Lok Adalat 2026 programme. A total of 10,622 cases were settled, with decisions awarding compensation amounting to ₹13,64,48,809.
The Lok Adalat provided litigants an opportunity to resolve eligible disputes through a process based on mutual agreement, offering an alternative to prolonged litigation. The large number of cases settled during the exercise highlighted the role of Lok Adalats as an accessible mechanism for speedy and amicable resolution of disputes.
The proceedings were conducted under the supervision of District and Sessions Judge Dayanand Bhardwaj. Several judicial officers participated in the settlement process and disposed of cases placed before the Lok Adalat.
Among the judicial officers who dealt with the cases were Additional Principal Judge, Family Court, Yamunanagar, Dr Vivek Goyal; Additional District and Sessions Judge Dr Rajni Kaushal; Civil Judge (Senior Division) Diksha Das Ranga; Civil Judge (Junior Division) Harleen Kaur; Civil Judge (Junior Division) Priyank Goyal; and Civil Judge (Junior Division) Sidhant Royal, Sub-Division Bilaspur.
The judicial officers heard the matters placed before them and facilitated settlements between the concerned parties wherever the cases were eligible for resolution through the Lok Adalat mechanism.
District Legal Services Authority Secretary and Chief Judicial Magistrate Sumitra Kadian said Lok Adalats provide an effective means of delivering justice in a speedy, simple and satisfactory manner. She said the process can help litigants avoid the time and expense associated with prolonged legal proceedings.
Kadian said one of the important features of Lok Adalats is that cases are resolved through mutual consent between the parties. Such settlements not only reduce the burden of litigation on the parties but can also help preserve relationships by resolving disputes in an amicable manner.
She appealed to members of the public to make greater use of the Lok Adalat facility for eligible cases and disputes. According to her, people can benefit from the mechanism by seeking settlement of appropriate matters rather than allowing disputes to continue through lengthy proceedings.
The settlement process can be particularly useful for parties who are willing to arrive at a mutually acceptable solution. By bringing the concerned parties together and facilitating a negotiated settlement, Lok Adalats seek to provide a practical avenue for resolving disputes without the prolonged process that may accompany regular litigation.
The Yamunanagar-Jagadhri Lok Adalat formed part of the wider National Lok Adalat programme for 2026. Such exercises are conducted to facilitate settlement of eligible cases at the local level and provide litigants with an accessible forum for dispute resolution.
The disposal of 10,622 cases during the programme represents a substantial number of matters being resolved through the settlement mechanism. The compensation amount of ₹13,64,48,809 decided in the cases also reflects the financial significance of the disputes dealt with during the proceedings.
The District Legal Services Authority has encouraged residents to obtain information about the types of cases that can be taken up through Lok Adalats and the legal assistance available to eligible persons. People requiring information regarding the procedure or legal aid can contact the District Legal Services Authority, Yamunanagar.
For assistance and information relating to Lok Adalat proceedings and legal services, the District Legal Services Authority has provided the helpline number 01732-220840.
The authority has also announced the date of the next National Lok Adalat. The next session will be held on December 12, 2026, providing another opportunity for eligible litigants to seek settlement of their cases.
The legal services authorities continue to promote Lok Adalats as a means of making dispute resolution more accessible to the public. The underlying emphasis is on reducing delays, minimising litigation expenses and encouraging settlements that are acceptable to all concerned parties.
For litigants, an amicable settlement can provide greater certainty while avoiding the uncertainty and additional costs associated with extended legal proceedings. The process also seeks to reduce the number of pending cases and contribute to a more efficient justice delivery system.
The Yamunanagar programme brought together judicial officers and the legal services machinery to facilitate settlements across a large number of cases. The proceedings were conducted under the supervision of the District and Sessions Judge, with the participating judicial officers handling cases assigned to them.
District Legal Services Authority Secretary Sumitra Kadian reiterated that people should make maximum use of the facilities provided through Lok Adalats. She said legal assistance and procedural information are available through the District Legal Services Authority for those who require guidance.
The National Lok Adalat mechanism is intended to provide a forum where parties willing to settle their disputes can reach mutually acceptable outcomes with the assistance of the legal and judicial system. The approach places emphasis on consensual resolution rather than prolonged contest.
The Yamunanagar-Jagadhri session, with more than ten thousand cases settled, has added to the efforts to provide accessible and timely dispute resolution to residents of the district. The compensation decisions reached during the proceedings will also provide relief to parties entitled to such payments under the respective settlements.
Residents who have eligible pending matters and are willing to explore settlement can seek information from the District Legal Services Authority before the next National Lok Adalat. The December 12 session is expected to provide another opportunity for resolving suitable cases through the same mechanism.
The District Legal Services Authority has urged citizens to remain aware of legal aid and dispute settlement facilities available to them and to approach the authority for guidance wherever required.
The successful disposal of 10,622 cases during the latest National Lok Adalat demonstrates the potential of alternative dispute resolution mechanisms to provide speedy and mutually acceptable outcomes. The initiative also reinforces the objective of making justice more accessible while reducing the financial and time burden on litigants.
With the next National Lok Adalat scheduled for December 12, 2026, eligible residents will have another opportunity to seek settlement of appropriate disputes and access legal assistance through the District Legal Services Authority, Yamunanagar.
POD/DESK
