Bhatkal: A Lok Adalat will be held at the Bhatkal court on March 14 to facilitate amicable settlement of disputes and reduce the burden of prolonged litigation on the public, Divyashree C.M., Senior Civil Judge, Karwar, and Member Secretary of the Uttara Kannada District Legal Services Authority, said on Thursday.
Addressing a press conference at the Bhatkal court hall, she urged advocates and litigants to actively participate and make use of the opportunity to resolve pending disputes through mutual consent.
Divyashree said many people are still unaware of the benefits and scope of Lok Adalat, where cases such as bank loan disputes, cheque bounce matters, and motor vehicle accident claims can be settled quickly. Resolving cases through Lok Adalat helps litigants save both time and legal expenses, she noted.
Appealing to members of the Bhatkal Bar Association to extend full cooperation, she said advocates should inform their clients about the advantages of settling cases through Lok Adalat and encourage them to opt for the mechanism.
She recalled that during the previous Lok Adalat, Bhatkal recorded the highest number of case settlements in the district, surpassing Karwar and Sirsi, and expressed hope that the upcoming session would see even better results.
Senior Civil Judge and JMFC and President of the Taluk Legal Services Authority Kanta Kurni, Principal Civil Judge Deepa Aralagundi, Additional Civil Judge Dhanavati, Bhatkal Bar Association President Eshwar Naik, and Secretary Nagesh Gaddemane were present.
Bar Association Vice-President R.J. Naik welcomed the gathering and compered the programme.