PATIALA, May 26 — The National Lok Adalat in Patiala district witnessed the amicable settlement of 25,059 cases, clearing disputes involving a cumulative value of ₹69,50,84,334, officials said.
Held under the guidance of District and Sessions Judge Rupinderjit Chahal, who also serves as Chairperson of the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), the Lok Adalat took up 37,914 cases across various categories, excluding non-compoundable criminal matters.
A total of 47 benches were constituted in the district—28 in Patiala, 6 in Rajpura, 5 in Nabha, and 6 in Samana. A dedicated bench at the Revenue Court handled mutation and partition cases, while another at the women cell in Patiala addressed matrimonial disputes before formal FIR registration.
“Lok Adalats provide a platform for quick, affordable, and peaceful resolution of disputes. We actively encouraged parties to find common ground,” said Chahal, who visited several benches alongside Chief Judicial Magistrate and DLSA Secretary Amandeep Kamboj, and Chief Judicial Magistrate Manni Arora.
Explaining the benefits of the Lok Adalat mechanism, Kamboj added, “The decisions reached here are final and binding, with no provision for appeal. Importantly, any court fee already paid is refunded to the parties.”
Officials noted that the initiative not only reduced the burden on courts but also offered litigants faster justice through mutual compromise.
