Justice at the doorstep: 4th National Lok Adalat 2025 resolves thousands of disputes across Jammu & Kashmir

JAMMU: In a powerful demonstration of justice delivered with compassion, speed, and dignity, the 4th National Lok Adalat 2025 emerged as a landmark initiative across Jammu & Kashmir, transforming courtrooms into spaces of consensus and relief.

From Srinagar to Kathua, Kupwara to Kishtwar, and Baramulla to Bandipora, Lok Adalats witnessed overwhelming participation of judicial officers, advocates, legal aid counsels, government departments and litigants, reaffirming public faith in alternative dispute resolution.

Thousands of civil, criminal, matrimonial, MACT, bank recovery, labour, revenue and pre-litigation cases were amicably settled through hundreds of dedicated benches constituted across districts, leading to the disposal of an unprecedented volume of cases and the realization of settlement amounts running into several crores of rupees.

Beyond numbers, the Lok Adalats reflected a humane face of justice—where survivors of violence received compensation, long-pending matrimonial disputes found closure, accident victims were awarded relief, social welfare benefits were distributed, and even free medical camps and public welfare helpdesks complemented legal proceedings.

Under the guidance of the High Court, J&K Legal Services Authority, and District Legal Services Authorities, the synchronized effort across Kashmir and Jammu divisions not only reduced pendency but also strengthened access to justice at the grassroots level. The resounding success of the 4th National Lok Adalat 2025 stands as a testament to the judiciary’s commitment to ensuring that justice is not delayed, denied, or distant—but accessible, affordable, and rooted in mutual understanding. 

• 4th  National Lok Adalat 2025 held  at Srinagar, Justice delivered with Dignity
• Lok Adalat Promotes Amicable Dispute Resolution and Access to Justice for All

SRINAGAR: In a significant stride towards delivering timely and amicable justice, , District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) in collaboration with the District Judiciary Srinagar successfully organized the 4th  National Lok Adalat 2025 at the District Court Complex Mominabad, Srinagar, and at the Court of the Additional Special Mobile Magistrate/JMIC Panthachowk.

 The Lok Adalat was held under the  guidance of Justice Sanjeev Kumar, Judge, High Court of J&K and Ladakh (Executive Chairman, J&K Legal Services Authority) and overall supervision of Haq Nawaz Zargar  Principal District & Sessions Judge ( Chairman, DLSA) Srinagar, and  ShaziaTabasum, Member Secretary, J&K Legal Services Authority.

The Lok Adalat was inaugurated by the Principal District & Sessions Judge Srinagar,  in presence of  judicial officers, members of the bar, court staff and DLSA Staff.

During an interaction with the media, Adnan Sayeed, Spl. Judge Anti-corruption CBI Cases, Srinagar, emphasized that the National Lok Adalat provides an effective and economical platform for dispute resolution. He stated that it ensures a win-win situation where both parties get their concerns heard and settled amicably.

To facilitate the amicable settlement of cases, 13 benches were constituted, in which overall  62451 cases were taken up for settlement out of which   61767 cases were amicably settled and Rs. 86838275  was awarded as settlement amount.

 The First Bench was presided over by Adnan Sayeed, Spl Judge Anti Corruption CBI Cases Sgr  and  Fayaz Ahmad Qureshi, Presiding Officer, MACT, Court Srinagar in which  102  cases were taken out of which  50       cases were amicably settled and Rs. 31773953 was awarded as settlement amount.

 The 2nd Bench was presided over by Kusoom Pandita, Additional District Judge, Bank Cases and by  Anjum Ara, Ist Additional District & Sessions Judge Srinagar. The 3rd Bench was presided over by Farooq Ahmad Bhat, Additional District & Sessions Judge Srinagar and Tabasum, Chief Judicial Magistrate, Srinagar.

Likewise, the 4th Bench was presided over by Ms.  Renu Dogra, Principal Judge Family Court) Srinagar and  Preet Simran Kour, 4th Addl. Distt. & Sessions Judge  Srinagar and 5th Bench was presided over by  Naushad Ahmad Khan, 2nd Additional District &   Sessions Judge Srinagar and  Fida Hussain Nayek, Municipal Magistrate, Srinagar.  The 6th Bench was presided over by  Massarat Jabeen, PT& E Magistrate and Shayesta Nazir, City Munsiff)l Srinagar, the 7th  Bench was presided over by Raja Arshid, Principal Magistrate JJB Srinagar and  Vikas Bhardwaj, 2nd Additional Munsiff Srinagar,   the 8th Bench was presided over by Shabir Ahmad Malik, Spl. Mobile Magistrate Traffic and  Mufti Nahida, Addl. Special Mobile Magistrate Traffic Srinagar, the 9th Bench was presided over by Mohammad Ishtiyaq Alam Baba , Forest Magistrate Srinagar  and Kamiya Singh Andotra, Spl. Mobile Magistrate/Railway Magistrate Srinagar , the 10th Bench was presided over by Nazia Hassan, 4th Addl. Munsiff Srinagar and Zirgham Hamid, Ist Add. Munsiff/JMIC Srinagar, the 11th Bench was presided over by Mainaz Qadir, Additional Spl. Mobile Magistrate/JMIC Panthachowk Srinagar and Adv. Baba Sajad, the 12th Bench was presided over by Dr. Farah Deeba, Officiating President District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission Srinagar and Shabnum Munshi, Member District  Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission Srinagar and the 13th Bench was presided over by Varun Kumar, 3rd Additional Munsiff/JMIC, Srinagar and Adv. Mir Naveed Gul, Panel Lawyer DLSA Srinagar.

The Chairman DLSA Srinagar distributed compensation cheques to the tune of Rs. 2,50,000 among the  survivors of violence sanctioned by J&K Legal Services Authority.

The 4th National Lok Adalat of 2025 witnessed a huge participation of officers and officials from different departments; litigants.The success of the National Lok Adalat reflects the judiciary's commitment to resolving disputes through mutual understanding and compromise. Such initiatives not only lessen the backlog of cases in the courts but also strengthen the public’s faith in the legal system.

• DLSA Baramulla Organizes 4th National Lok Adalat; 1638 cases amicably resolved

BARAMULLA: Today, the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) Baramulla, held 4th National Lok Adalat of 2025 under the chairmanship of Jawad Ahmad, Chairman District Legal Services Authority (Principal District & Sessions Judge), Baramulla.

The primary objective of the National Lok Adalat was to ensure expeditious disposal of cases in a cost-effective and amicable manner while simultaneously reducing the pendency of cases in regular courts. 

A total of 4186 cases were identified and listed for settlement, covering a wide range of disputes, including civil matters, compoundable criminal cases, family disputes, recovery matters, motor accident claim cases, and pre-litigation as well as post-litigation disputes across District Baramulla.

To facilitate smooth functioning, 10 benches were constituted including 03 at District Headquarters Baramulla, 02 at Sopore, and 01 each at Pattan, Tangmarg, Boniyar, Uri and Dangiwacha. 

With the efforts of judicial officers, lawyers, and parties to the disputes, a total of, 1638 cases were amicably settled, resulting in the realization of a settlement amount of Rs 179.93 Lakh.

• DLSA Budgam Conducts  4th National Lok Adalat of 2025 in District; 751 cases amicably settled

BUDGAM: Under the aegis of NALSA and the Jammu & Kashmir Legal Services Authority, the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) Budgam successfully organized the 4th National Lok Adalat at the District Court Complex Budgam, as well as in the Taluka Courts across the district.

The 4th National Lok Adalat was held under the overall supervision of Chairman District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) Budgam, O.P. Bhagat, (PD&SJ) Budgam.

For smooth disposal, cases were pre-identified by the respective courts and placed before Eight dedicated benches constituted by DLSA Budgam for settlement. 

The 1st bench was presided over by by O.P. Bhagat (Principal District & Sessions Judge, Budgam) and Lateef Ahmad Khan (Chief LADC). The 2nd bench was presided over by Abdul Bari (Chief Judicial Magistrate) Budgam, Shaber Ayaz Sub- Judge/Principal Magistrate, Juvenile Justice Board Budgam and Tasneem Kawoos, Ist Class/Munsiff Budgam.

Likewise, 3rd bench was presided over by Easar Ul Nabi, Special Mobile Magistrate, Budgam and Nazir Ahmad Wagay, Deputy LADC, Budgam. The 4th bench was presided over by  Shafeeq Ahmed Malik, Sub-Judge, Chadoora) and A.R. Hanjura, Pro Bono Lawyer.

Similarly, 5th bench was presided over by Tayoub Bukhari, Judicial Magistrate Ist Class/Munsiff Chadoora and Adv. Syed Rafiq Rashid, Panel Lawyer Chadoora. The 6th Bench was presided over by Towfeel Ahmad Mir, Special Mobile Magistrate, Beerwah and Javid Ahmad, Panel Lawyer. 7th Bench was presided over by Rabyia Snober Gulzar, Judicial Magistrate 1st Class/Munsiff) Magam and Hilal Ahmad Malla, Panel Lawyer.

Similarly, Aiman Amin, Judicial Magistrate 1st Class/Munsiff, Charar-i-Sharief and N.A. Mashooq, Panel Lawyer presided over the 8th Bench.

The cases taken up for settlement included a wide range of matters such as civil disputes, compoundable criminal cases, cheque bounce cases, bank recovery matters, MACT claims, land compensation cases, matrimonial disputes, pre-litigation cases, social welfare disputes, labour cases, revenue disputes, BSNL-related issues, municipal cases, and other matters related to government schemes.

In total 1,433  cases were taken up before the benches, out of which 751 cases were amicably settled. A total settlement amount of Rs 2,97,86,069 was awarded/realized as compensation and recovery during the Lok Adalat.                                     

• 1394 cases settled in 4th National Lok-Adalat at Pulwama

PULWAMA: The 4th National Lok-Adalat was organized today in District Court and other sub-ordinate courts of District Pulwama under the Chairmanship of Malik Shabir Ahmad, Chairman District Legal Services Authority (Pr. District & Sessions Judge), Pulwama and under the supervision of Mudasar Farooq, Secretary DLSA Pulwama. 

The Lok-Adalat at District headquarters Pulwama was inaugurated by PD&SJ Pulwama and was attended by Judicial Officers of District Pulwama. 

 By the concerted efforts of all presiding officers of all the courts, cooperation rendered by the learned advocates and officers of various government departments, insurance companies and banking institutions, a total number of 1934 cases were taken up by 6 benches in the district out of which 1394 cases were settled in the  Lok-Adalat. 

An amount of Rs, 2,49,67,207 was awarded as settlement amount in all cases including award of Rs. 30,15,000 in 12 MACT Cases.

• 4th National Lok-Adalat held in Anantnag, Settles 2138 Cases

ANANTNAG: 4th National Lok-Adalat was organized in District Court and other sub-ordinate courts of District Anantnag today, under the Chairmanship of Tahir Khurshid Raina, PDJ Anantnag.

The Lok-Adalat at District headquarters Anantnag was inaugurated by PDJ Anantnag and was also attended by Judicial Officers of District Anantnag, Senior Advocates of Bar Association Anantnag, LADCS, PLVS and Staff. 

By the concerted efforts of all presiding officers of all the courts, cooperation rendered by the learned advocates and officers of various government departments, insurance companies and banking institutions. A total number of     2615 cases were taken up by 10 benches in the district out of which 2138 cases were settled in the Lok-Adalat.

An amount of Rs,15,07,81,065 was awarded as settlement amount in all cases including award of Rs. 71.16 lakh in 9 MACT Cases.

• DLSA Shopian Holds 4th National Lok Adalat, Settles 678 cases amicably

SHOPIAN: The District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) Shopian today organized the 4th National Lok Adalat of the year 2025 at the District Court Complex Shopian.

The event was inaugurated by the Chairman DLSA, Principal District & Sessions Judge Shopian, Mehmood Ahmad Chowdhary, in the presence of Judicial Officers, Advocates, and other stakeholders of the district.

For the smooth conduct of the Lok Adalat, six benches were constituted by the DLSA. A large number of Advocates, litigants, and prominent citizens actively participated in the proceedings, contributing to the success of the event.

The first bench was presided over by Mehmood Ahmad Chowdhary (Principal District & Sessions Judge) Shopian along with Adv. Parvaiz Ahmad Malik.

The second bench was presided over by Rayaz Ahmed Choudhary, Chief Judicial Magistrate Shopian and Adv. Iftikhar Ahmad and the third bench by Mudasar Farooq, Secretary DLSA Shopian along with Adv. Shahnawaz Raina.

Likewise, the fourth bench was presided over by Bazila Bashir Principal Magistrate, JJB Shopian with Adv. Rafie Ahmad, the fifth bench by Rameen Rashid Khan, Additional Special Mobile Magistrate Shopian and Adv. Sumaya Paul and the sixth bench was presided over by the Assistant Commissioner Revenue (ACR) Shopian Shakoor Ahmad Dar and Tehsildar Shopian.

A total of 1,012 cases related to recovery suits, traffic challans, civil matters, MACT cases, matrimonial issues, criminal compoundable offences, and other civil disputes were taken up during the National Lok Adalat.

Out of these, 678 cases were amicably settled, reflecting the effectiveness of the alternative dispute resolution mechanism in ensuring speedy disposal of cases.

A cumulative settlement amount of Rs. 2,35,86,263 was achieved during the Lok-Adalat.

• DLSA Bandipora conducts 4th National Lok Adalat
• Facilitates resolution of 4809 cases in a fair and expeditious manner

BANDIPORA: The District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), Bandipora, under the aegis of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) and the Jammu and Kashmir Legal Services Authority, successfully organized the 4th National Lok Adalat in the district.

The event was conducted under the supervision of Jeema Bashir, Chairperson, DLSA Bandipora, and under the guidance of Sheikh Babar Hussain, Secretary, DLSA Bandipora.

 The Lok Adalat was  inaugurated by Jeema Bashir, Chairperson, District Legal Services Authority, Bandipora.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by several distinguished judicial officers, including Mir Wajahat, Additional District Judge, Bandipora; Iqbal Ahmad Akhoon, Chief Judicial Magistrate, Bandipora; Amandeep Singh, Munsiff, Bandipora; and Mehak Mehboob, Additional Special Mobile Magistrate, Bandipora. 

The ceremony was also attended by Advocate Sofi Feroz, President, Bar Association Bandipora, along with Legal Aid Defence Counsels (LADCs), panel lawyers, members of the Bar, Para Legal Volunteers (PLVs), and litigants.

For the effective disposal of cases, a total of ten benches were constituted.

The first bench was presided over by Jeema Bashir, Principal District and Sessions Judge, Bandipora, with Bilal Ahmad Bhat, Chief LADC, DLSA Bandipora, as Member.

Second Bench was Presided over by Mir Wajahat, Additional District Judge, Bandipora, with Iqbal Ahmad Akhoon, Chief Judicial Magistrate, Bandipora, as Member.

Similarly, third bench was Presided over by Amandeep Singh, Munsiff JMIC, Bandipora, with Javaid Iqbal Lone, Assistant LADC, Bandipora, as Member. Fourth Bench was Presided over by Mehak Mehboob, Additional Special Mobile Magistrate, Bandipora, with Toiba Tabasum, Deputy LADC, Bandipora, as Member.

Likewise, fifth bench was Presided over by Rahila Rashid, Munsiff/JMIC, Sumbal, with Nazia Parveen, Assistant LADC, Bandipora, as Member.Sixth bench was Presided over by Zaffar Hussain Shawl, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Bandipora, with Shabir Ahmad Wani, Assistant Commissioner Revenue, Bandipora, as Member. Seventh bench was presided over by Rabia Mir, Assistant Labour Commissioner, Bandipora, with Mushtaq Ahmad Kambay, Labour Officer, Bandipora, as Member. Eighth bench was Presided over by Mukhtar Ahmad Sofi, ARTO, Bandipora, with Tariq Ahmad, Inspector (ARTO Office), Bandipora, as Member. Ninth bench was Presided over by the Tehsildar/Executive Magistrate 1st Class, Bandipora, with the Naib Tehsildar, Bandipora, as Member and tenth Bench was presided over by the Chief Executive Officer, Municipal Council, Bandipora, with the Secretary, Municipal Council, Bandipora, as Member.

All the benches constituted worked diligently and efficiently to dispose of a substantial number of cases.

During the Lok Adalat, a total of 5,470 cases were taken up, out of which 4,809 cases were disposed of amicably, resulting in a settlement amount of Rs. 2,51,09,964.

 The matters settled included matrimonial disputes, Negotiable Instruments Act cases, civil cases, compoundable criminal cases, bank recovery matters, and pre-litigation cases, among others.

The DLSA Bandipora, in collaboration with the Labour Department, installed a helpdesk for registration under PMJJBY and PMSBY, and at least 141 beneficiaries were benefited under the schemes.

The National Lok Adalat provided an effective forum for the amicable settlement of disputes, thereby promoting access to justice and reducing the pendency of cases.

 The District Legal Services Authority, Bandipora, successfully achieved the objectives of the Lok Adalat by facilitating the resolution of a significant number of cases in a fair, expeditious, and conciliatory manner.

• 4th  National Lok Adalat held  at Kulgam
• 1402 cases settled amicably, Rs. 3,43,57,442  awarded as settlement amount

KULGAM: Under the agies of NALSA and in pursuance to the direction of J& K Legal Services Authority, 4th National LokAdalat was held today in District Kulgam, under the chairmanship of Aijaz Ahmad Khan, Chairman District Legal Services Authority (Principal District and Sessions Judge) Kulgam.

Six benches were constituted, three at District Court Kulgam, one each at Revenue Court Kulgam (headed by SDM), D.H.Pora and Qazigund each headed by one Judicial Officer.

In the  Lok Adalat a total  of 3,206 cases related to MACT Cases, Family Disputes, Revenue cases, Traffic Challans, Bank Cases, Electricity cases, and Water bills were taken up out of which a total number of 1,402 cases were amicably settled. An amount of Rs. 3,43,57,442 was awarded as settlement amount.

• 4th National Lok Adalat held across District Kupwara

KUPWARA: The 4th National Lok Adalat of the year 2025 was successfully held across District Kupwara, providing a platform for the amicable, speedy, and low-cost resolution of disputes.

The National Lok Adalat was formally inaugurated by Chairman, District Legal Services Authority,  Manjeet Singh Manhas in the presence of other judicial officers. 

The inaugural session was also attended by the President and members of the Bar Association, Kupwara, Legal Aid Defence Counsels (LADCs), Panel Lawyers, court staff, and Para-Legal Volunteers associated with DLSA Kupwara.

The primary objective of the National Lok Adalat was to ensure expeditious disposal of cases in a cost-effective and amicable manner while simultaneously reducing the pendency of cases in regular courts.

 A total of 3098 cases were identified and listed for settlement, covering a wide range of disputes, including civil matters, compoundable criminal cases, family disputes, recovery matters, motor accident claim cases, and pre-litigation as well as post-litigation disputes across District Kupwara.

To facilitate smooth functioning, 08 benches were constituted including 4 at District Headquarters Kupwara, and 1 each at Kralpora, Sogam, Handwara, Trehgam. 

With the efforts of judicial officers, lawyers, and parties to the disputes, a total of  1665 cases were amicably settled, resulting in the realization of a settlement amount of Rs 30778956.

The successful conduct of the National Lok Adalat reaffirmed the commitment of the judiciary towards providing accessible, affordable, and speedy justice to the people. It highlighted the significance of Lok Adalats as an effective alternative dispute resolution mechanism, ensuring justice in its true spirit.

• DLSA Ganderbal conducts National Lok Adalat, settles 1670 cases

GANDERBAL: The District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) Ganderbal, under the aegis of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) and Jammu and Kashmir Legal Services Authority, successfully conducted the 4th National Lok Adalat for the year 2025 in district Ganderbal.

The National Lok Adalat was inaugurated by Abdul Nasir, Chairman District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) Ganderbal. The inauguration ceremony was attended by several distinguished judges, including  Fozia Paul, Additional District and Sessions Judge, Ganderbal; Nusrat Ali Hakak, Chief Judicial Magistrate, Ganderbal; Sheikh Babar Hussain, Secretary, DLSA Ganderbal, and Mahoor, Munsiff/JMIC, Ganderbal. Other notable attendees included, Bar members, LADCs, Panel Lawyers, Adhikat Mitras, bank officials, representatives of various departments, litigants etc. 

For effective disposal of cases, four benches were constituted. The 1st bench was presided by Fozia Paul, Additional District and Sessions Judge, Ganderbal, along with  Mahoor, Munsiff/JMIC, Ganderbal as bench member. The 2nd bench was presided by Nusrat Ali Hakak, Chief Judicial Magistrate, Ganderbal, with Burjeena Hamid, Assistant LADC, Ganderbal,  as bench member. The 3rd  bench was presided by  Sheikh Babar Hussain, Secretary DLSA, Ganderbal, along with Sajid Irfan, Deputy LADC, Ganderbal, as bench member and 4th bench was presided by Moonis Wahid, Munsiff/JMIC Kangan, along with Advocate  Suhail Ahmad Mir, as bench member, who worked tirelessly to dispose of a large number of cases.

During the Lok Adalat, a total number of 1765 cases were taken up, out of which 1670 cases were amicably settled, resulting in a settlement amount of Rs 72,68,208. The cases disposed of included matrimonial cases, NI Act Cases, Civil Cases, Criminal compoundable cases, bank recovery cases, labour disputes,  pre-litigation cases, BSNL Bill cases, etc.

The National Lok Adalat aimed to provide a platform for amicable settlement of disputes, promoting justice and reducing pending cases. The DLSA Ganderbal, has achieved this objective by settling a significant number of cases through the Lok Adalat.

• National Lok Adalat settles 2402 cases at Reasi

REASI: The District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) Reasi, under the aegis of National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) and Jammu and Kashmir Legal Services Authority, successfully organised the 4th National Lok Adalat in the district.

The mega Adalat was inaugurated by Khalil Choudhary, Chairman, DLSA (Pr. District & Sessions Judge) and held under the supervision of Pooja Gupta DLSA Secretary.

 The inauguration ceremony was attended by ADDC Sukhdev Sambyal; Chief Judicial Magistrate Geeta Kumari; ADC Rakesh Kumar;  Addl. SP Iftkar;  ACR Nitan Sharma; Munsiff Shivali Sharma; Addl. Spl. Mobile Magistrate Aastha Sharma; SDPO Vishal Jamwal; ACD Vijay Kumar Verma; Asst. Director Fisheries Masood Anwar;, M.O Ayush Dr. Shamim;  President Bar Association Reasi Pawan Dev Singh along with other executives of bar and bar members;  Chief LADC Rashi Baru along with the team of LADCs; CAO District Court Mangat Ram Parihar along with staff members, PLVs and litigants etc.

A total of 16 benches were constituted. The Principal bench was presided over by Khalil Ahmad Choudhary, Principal District & Sessions Judge along with Pooja Gupta, Secretary DLSA as bench member.

 A total of 3,065 cases were taken up, of which 2,402 cases were disposed of amicably resulting in a settlement of Rs 1,59,94,215. The cases disposed of included matrimonial cases, NI Act cases, Civil Cases, Criminal Compoundable cases, bank recovery cases, pre –litigation cases etc.

The National Lok Adalat aimed to provide a platform for amicable settlement of disputes, promoting justice and reducing pending cases. The DLSA Reasi has achieved the objective by settling a significant number of cases through the Lok Adalat.

Meanwhile, a free medical camp was also organised by District Legal Services Authority Reasi in collaboration with department of Ayush at the District Court Complex.

A team of Medical Officers examined more than 200 persons which included BP Check up and NCT screening with distribution of free medicines to around 300 persons.  

• 4th National Lok Adalat at Rajouri: 1,817 cases disposed of, over ₹1.99 Crore realized as settlement amount

RAJOURI:  In compliance with the directions of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), the 4th National Lok Adalat pertaining to all types of cases was successfully held today at the District Court Complex, Rajouri and in all other courts of the district.

The National Lok Adalat was conducted under the chairmanship of Chairman District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) and Principal District & Sessions Judge, Rajinder Sapru. In all, three benches were constituted at the district level.

The First Bench was headed by the DLSA Chairman (Principal District & Sessions Judge Rajouri), Rajinder Sapru and assisted by Additional District & Sessions Judge, Sudesh Sharma and Advocate Khilat Mehmood Bhat.

The Second Bench was headed by Chief Judicial Magistrate, Javed Rana and assisted by Assistant Labour Commissioner, Pradyot Gupta and Member Consumer Redressal Commission, Roheri Parmar.

The Third Bench was headed by Special Mobile Magistrate, Ananta Raina and assisted by  District Mobile Magistrate (Traffic), Shavika Gupta and  Accounts Officer, BSNL Indu Sharma.

Similar benches were also constituted at the tehsil level, headed by the Presiding Officers of the respective courts. Notably, the Court of Sub-Judge/JMIC Nowshera resolved a long-pending matrimonial dispute during the National Lok Adalat.

On the occasion, the DLSA Chairman, Rajinder Sapru also distributed wheelchairs, Old Age Pension sanction letters and State Marriage Assistance among the beneficiaries, provided through the District Social Welfare Officer Abdul Rehman.

Additionally, financial assistance for Higher Education was given to the ward of a labourer by the Assistant Labour Commissioner.

A total of 2,395 cases, including both pre-litigation and post-litigation matters, were taken up by the benches, out of which 1,817 cases were disposed of.

 An amount of ₹1,99,26,975 (Rupees One Crore Ninety-Nine Lakh Twenty-Six Thousand Nine Hundred and Seventy-Five only) was realised as compensation.

From the courts of the Principal District & Sessions Judge Rajouri and the Additional District & Sessions Judge Rajouri, 48 MACT cases were taken up, of which 43 cases were settled, awarding a compensation amount of ₹1,88,21,500 (Rupees One Crore Eighty-Eight Lakh Twenty-One Thousand Five Hundred only).

The National Lok Adalat witnessed active participation of representatives of banks, advocates of various insurance companies, Legal Aid Defence Counsels (LADCs), bar members, Para Legal Volunteers (PLVs), court staff, litigants and a large number of people, reflecting the growing public trust in alternative dispute resolution mechanisms.

• 4th National Lok Adalat held at District Kishtwar

KISHTWAR: In compliance with the directions of the Jammu & Kashmir Legal Services Authority, the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) Kishtwar successfully organised the 4th National Lok Adalat today in the District.

The Lok Adalat was conducted with the objective of providing speedy, amicable and cost-effective justice to litigants through the consensual settlement of disputes.

A wide spectrum of cases, including criminal compoundable cases, matrimonial and maintenance matters, civil disputes, recovery suits, labour disputes, Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) cases, pre-litigation matters and other allied cases, were taken up for settlement. For the effective conduct of proceedings, three benches were constituted.

The Principal Bench comprised Sudhir Kumar Khajuria, Principal District & Sessions Judge and Karan Bijyal, Munsiff/JMIC.

The Second Bench included Chief Judicial Magistrate (Sub-Judge) Deputy Kumar and Additional Special Mobile Magistrate Deepika Sharma. The Third Bench consisted of Secretary DLSA, Meera Bangotra and Assistant LADC, Farhat Nabi.

A total of 629 cases of various natures were taken up, out of which 528 cases were amicably settled. Of these, 53 pre-litigation cases were taken up and 21 were settled, while 576 post-litigation cases were taken up and 507 were successfully disposed of.

An amount of ₹67,10,779 (Rupees Sixty-Seven Lakh Ten Thousand Seven Hundred Seventy-Nine only) was awarded to claimants in MACT cases, recovery suits and other settled matters, providing substantial financial relief to the beneficiaries.

• National Lok Adalat held at ADR Centre-Court complex Kathua

KATHUA: The National Lok Adalat was successfully held today at the ADR Centre of the Court Complex in Kathua under the esteemed guidance of the Chairman, District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) Kathua, Jatinder Singh Jamwal, (Principal District & Sessions Judge, Kathua).

To facilitate the smooth conduct of the Lok Adalat, eight benches were constituted. The main Bench consisted of Principal District & Sessions Judge, Jatinder Singh Jamwal and Additional District & Sessions Judge, Pravin Pandoh.

A substantial number of cases were taken up for amicable settlement during the proceedings. The settlement amount stood at Rs. 2,61,73,050/-.

The initiative reflects the commitment of the Judiciary and the Legal Services Authority towards promoting alternate dispute resolution mechanisms and ensuring timely justice to the public.

• Fourth National Lok Adalat held at District Ramban

RAMBAN: As per the annual Calendar of Activities issued by the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) and on the directions of the Jammu & Kashmir Legal Services Authority, the fourth National Lok Adalat of the year 2025 was successfully held today at the District Court Complex, Ramban and all subordinate courts of the district by the District Judiciary, Ramban.

The Lok Adalat was conducted under the patronage of Chairman, District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) Ajay Kumar Gupta, with the active assistance of Secretary DLSA Priyanka Mahajan.

The Chairman inaugurated the Lok Adalat at the District Court Complex, Ramban and highlighted the vital role of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanism in providing speedy, cost-effective and accessible justice to the people.

For the smooth and expeditious disposal of cases, nine benches were constituted across all courts in District Ramban. During the Lok Adalat, a total of 793 cases—comprising 711 post-litigation and 82 pre-litigation cases—were taken up. Out of these, 418 post-litigation and 20 pre-litigation cases were amicably settled.

An amount of Rs. 1,72,70,960/- was awarded in post-litigation cases, while the total settlement amount in the National Lok Adalat stood at Rs. 1,75,51,089/-.

The National Lok Adalat received an encouraging response from litigants, reaffirming public faith in Lok Adalats as an effective forum for the consensual resolution of disputes.

• 4^th National Lok Adalat: 1013 cases disposed of in Udhampur District

UDHAMPUR: The 4th National Lok Adalat of 2025 was held today in District Udhampur under the chairmanship and supervision of Virinder Singh Bhou, Chairman DLSA (Pr. District & Sessions Judge) and Sumati Sharma, Secretary DLSA.

 The day began with the inauguration of an Ayushman Bharat stall by Virinder Singh Bhou, Principal District & Sessions Judge(Chairman DLSA) and Kamlesh Pandit, Additional District & Sessions Judge.

Later, the DLSA Chairman inaugurated the National Lok Adalat in presence of Additional District & Sessions Judge.

A total of 11 benches were constituted across the District, comprising distinguished judicial officers and panel lawyers.  The Lok Adalat took up 1622 and resolved 1013 cases with a total settlement amount of ₹ 37272436.

The cases taken up included a wide range of disputes including civil, criminal, MACT, revenue, matrimonial, family disputes and cheque bounce cases.

Similarly, National Lok Adalats were also held at TLSC Ramnagar, Majalta and Chenani.