Justice on wheels: Mobile Lok Adalat imparts legal know-how to villagers

Basic legal rights are discussed during a legal camp at Telwada village in Murud-Janjira taluka, Raigad, on March 10

To bring courts to the doorstep of villagers, provide cheap and speedy justice and prevent petty cases from piling up in courts, the concept of Mobile Lok Adalat was introduced. Sessions are conducted via Mobile Lok Adalat in villages and tribal areas to impart knowledge about basic legal rights and how to exercise them.

On March 9, a Mobile Lok Adalat van from Mumbai region was flagged off by Ashok Billare, district judge, Raigad; Shailaja S Sawant, principal district and sessions judge; and Amol Shinde, judge and secretary of District Legal Services Authority, Raigad.

The Mobile Lok Adalat will visit remote villages in Raigad district, including Uran and Panvel talukas, and apart from resolving compoundable criminal cases and civil cases, including settling of compensation for motor vehicle accidents, will also be imparting basic legal knowledge to the villagers, explained Mahesh Dayma, court manager at District Court, Raigad.

"Lok Adalat is seen as a successful tool of dispute redressal, which takes place by discussion, counselling and conciliation and gives speedy justice as it can be organised at any place and can be arranged very fast," pointed out Dayma.

"Maharashtra has three Mobile Lok Adalat facilities, one each for Mumbai, Nagpur and Aurangabad regions. And the entire year's programme for the Mobile Lok Adalat has been planned by the respective High Court Legal Services Committees and executed by the respective District Legal Services Authority, for the last three years and prior to this, the scheduling was handled by the Maharashtra State Legal Services Authority (MSLSA)," pointed out an official from the MSLSA on anonymity.

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Numbers speak

As per National Judicial Data Grid Statistics, over 4.25 crore cases are pending in various courts across India - including 1.08 crore civil and 3.17 crore criminal cases - whereas in Maharashtra 15.80 lakh civil and 33.16 lakh criminal cases are pending in various courts across the state.

Successful tool

As per the Maharashtra State Legal Services Authority, between April 2022 and January 2023, 4,666 Lok Adalat sessions were held and nearly 8.33 lakh cases were settled and out of 3,553 motor vehicle accident cases heard by the Lok Adalat, all were settled and victims/families were compensated Rs 423 crore.

Principal District and Sessions Judge Shailaja S Sawant, Judge Amol Shinde and District Judge Ashok Bhillare inaugurate the Mobile Lok Adalat on March 6

As per the District Legal Services Authority. Raigad, between January 2020 and December 2022, a total 36 Mobile Lok Adalat sessions were conducted in which 89 cases were settled; 67 cases were settled between January and December 2022.

Day one

On day one, March 10, the Mobile Lok Adalat, reached Telwade village, Murud-Janjira taluka, Raigad, which has a population of around 10,000 people. The preceding officer to chair the hearing was District Judge (Retired) Shrikant Upadhye. This was Telwade's first encounter with the Mobile Lok Adalat.

"As per the schedule, the litigants and villagers had gathered in a classroom of a primary school. In all, twenty-five cases were slated for hearing, including both minor criminal ones, including domestic violence, and civil cases such as cheque bouncing, trespassing and encroachment. The hearing started at 11 am and continued until 12.30 pm, in which only one case could be settled, which means that the remaining cases will be tried before regular courts," said Jayesh Gurav, court clerk, Murud taluka court.

Gurav added, "After the hearing got over, District Judge (Retired) Upadhye addressed local villagers, including tribal women, about their legal rights. There was a discussion on domestic violence, availing free legal aid services etc."

Gurav and his team have been working on making this event a success for the past eight days. "As this was to be the first time a Mobile Lok Adalat was held in Telwade, I had to ensure that the message was communicated in advance to the sarpanch and other important officials. Also had to send intimations to the local registered credit cooperative society, MSEB, and local police station to get their minor cases, if any, for resolution, and I got a good response, as many women participants came forward."

The only case that was settled on March 10 was a cheque bouncing case of Rs 1.30 lakh. Gurav said, "A villager had taken a loan from a cooperative credit society, and had defaulted. A case was then filed before the taluka court, Murud, by the cooperative credit society in January 2023 after the cheque issued by the party bounced."

The presiding officer, after discussion and conciliation, proposed a settlement, which the parties agreed to, and the defaulter promised to repay the loan. The next destination for the Mobile Lok Adalat is Roha, where a one-day hearing will happen. Then, the van will move to another taluka in Raigad. The last event will be held on April 6 at Panvel taluka, and the drive will end on April 7. On April 30, Lok Adalat will be held in all courts in India.

About the MSLSA

The Maharashtra State Legal Services Authority (MSLASA) has been constituted under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, which is enacted to effectuate the mandate enshrined under Articles 14 and 39-A of the Constitution of India. The main objective of the MSLASA is to take real, practical and positive steps to ensure that there is equality and fairness for all in the justice process.

48,96,000
Total no of cases pending in courts across Maharashtra