March 15, 2026 : The first National Lok Adalat of 2026 was successfully organized in Surajpur on Saturday under the guidance of the National Legal Services Authority, New Delhi, and the Chhattisgarh State Legal Services Authority, Bilaspur. The event was conducted under the leadership of Principal District and Sessions Judge and Chairperson of the District Legal Services Authority, Vineeta Varner.
The Lok Adalat was not limited to the District and Sessions Court alone. Proceedings were also held in the Family Court, Taluka Court in Pratappur, the Juvenile Court, and all revenue courts across the district. The main objective of the initiative was to simplify the justice delivery system and encourage the settlement of both pre-litigation and pending cases through mutual agreement.
A total of 78,893 cases were settled through amicable compromise during the Lok Adalat, and awards amounting to ₹12,82,57,268 were passed.
The event began with a ceremonial lamp lighting by Principal District and Sessions Judge Vineeta Varner in the courtroom of the District and Sessions Court. Judicial officers, advocates, court staff, and officials from several departments including banks, municipal bodies, and the electricity department were present on the occasion.
A notable moment during the Lok Adalat involved the settlement of a motor accident claim case before a bench of the District and Sessions Judge. One of the female parties in the case could not attend the hearing due to illness. Considering her situation, the judge connected her to the proceedings through video conferencing. After speaking with her and obtaining her consent, the case was successfully settled on the spot.
To ensure speedy justice for the public, a total of 32 benches were constituted across the district. These benches heard civil disputes, motor accident claim cases, family disputes, compromise-eligible criminal matters pending for years, revenue cases, and pre-litigation matters related to bank transactions, electricity, telephone services, and water bill dues.
Through friendly negotiations and mutual understanding between the parties, thousands of cases were settled. Beneficiaries whose cases were resolved were also honored by the respective benches with fruit-bearing saplings as a gesture of goodwill.
During the National Lok Adalat, 3,813 pending cases from various courts in the district and 96,353 pre-litigation cases were taken up for consideration. Out of these, 78,893 cases were successfully resolved through mutual settlement, resulting in awards totaling ₹12,82,57,268.
Overall, 78,893 parties benefited from the settlements achieved through the Lok Adalat.
