India's biggest Judicial exercise

On December 20 and 21, district courts in Punjab and Haryana will try and do something that has never been attempted in the history of Indian judiciary. On these two days, the subordinate judiciary in the two states will take up for disposal two lakh-plus cases through an Alternative Dispute Redressal (ADR) mechanism. Christened Samadhan-2008, the event is expected to be inaugurated by Chief Justice of India K.G. Balakrishnan. On two consecutive days, Lok Adalats will be organised in each district of the two states. Each district court will endeavour to dispose of not less than 10,000 cases in two days. Judges of the Punjab and Haryana High Court will supervise the Lok Adalats in the respective districts of which they are administrative judges.
“With a target of two lakh cases in two days, it can’t get bigger,” said advocate Raman Walia. There were 5.86 lakh cases pending in subordinate courts in Punjab till October 2007. The number pending in Haryana courts is only marginally less.Details of the programme were finalised at a meeting chaired by Punjab and Haryana High Court Chief Justice Tirath Singh Thakur on October 4. Sources revealed that Punjab Home Secretary B.C. Gupta, whose pioneering role in popularising ADR was recognised by the International Labour Organisation, has been designated the main nodal officer for Punjab for the event.According to sources, the Lok Adalats will take up cases pending before various courts as well as those in the pre-litigation stage. “Cases to be taken up will include those pertaining to motor accident claims, compoundable criminal offences, matrimonial disputes, offences under special enactments, Domestic Violence Act, suits for recovery of money as well as possession of immovable property and rent,” said a source. It is learnt that directions have been issued to the Sessions Courts as well as civil and police authorities to draw up a list of cases that can be taken up.
The Lok Adalats will not only involve judges but also lawyers, social workers and members of various nongovernmental organisations, who will play an important role helping the litigants come to mutuallyacceptable agreements, said a source, adding that core committees comprising Deputy Commissioners, Chief Judicial Magistrates, district police chiefs, secretary of District Legal Services Authority and senior district judges have been constituted to do the groundwork for the endeavour. Retired judicial officers, panchayats and students of law are also likely to be involved. When contacted, Punjab and Haryana High Court judge and Executive Chairman, Punjab Legal Services Authority, Mehtab Singh Gill, refused to divulge the details of the forthcoming event. He said, however, that Punjab and Haryana have taken the lead in employing the ADR mechanism to settle cases. “Look at the figures: over 9,000 of 11,000-odd cases were settled by the Lok Adalat in Jalandhar on September 3; almost 21,000 of 23,000 cases were resolved in Ludhiana on September 13; and 6,000 of 8,000 cases were disposed of in Patiala on September 29,” Gill said.