Tarun Karthick
Port Blair, 12 August 2023
In a significant move towards accessible and efficient dispute resolution, the District Legal Services Authority of Andaman & Nicobar Islands has announced the upcoming National Lok Adalat. Scheduled to take place on September 9, the courts will be hosted at various key court complexes across the region, including the District Court Complex in Port Blair, the Sub-Divisional Court Complex in Mayabunder, and the Circuit Court in Diglipur.
This initiative is aligned with the ongoing efforts to ensure timely justice. The National Lok Adalat will address a wide spectrum of cases, encompassing both pre-litigation and pending matters. Besides the compoundable nature of cases pending in different Courts, notably, the Lok Adalat will consider disputes arising from the following categories:
1. Cases under the Negotiable Instruments Act (Section 138).
2. Money recovery cases.
3. Labor disputes.
4. Electricity and water bill disputes (excluding non-compoundable cases).
5. Maintenance cases.
6. Civil disputes.
7. Consumer Protection Act cases.
Members of the public, whether currently engaged in pre-litigation or post-litigation disputes, are encouraged to take advantage of this unique opportunity. Those with disputes falling under the aforementioned categories can submit their cases in writing to the Secretary of the District Legal Services Authority in Port Blair before August 31. This early submission will ensure that the cases are meticulously processed and prepared for the National Lok Adalat’s hearing on September 9.