National Lok Adalat held in Yerwada prison resolves 6 cases

Chaitraly Deshmukh

Pune : First of it’s kind unique initiative taken by the District Legal Service Authority, Pune (DLSA) on Saturday, May 7 took place as the National Lok Adalat managed to mutually compromise six cases from Yerawada Central Prison.

On Saturday, National Lok Adalat was conducted in all the court across India where the cases which are of pre-litigation, compoundable offences, petty offences, matrimony issues, motor accident cases and others were kept in court to settle the issues mutually.

For the first time the DLSA, Pune had constituted National Lok Adalat at Yerawada Central Prison in which panel was chaired by the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate First Class S V Dindolkar and panel advocates Vijay Legare and Shekhar Suryawanshi as well as Para Legal Volunteer Pritam Shinde.

The initiative was driven under the guidance of the Principal District Judge Chairperson of DLSA Sanjay Deshmukh and DLSA, Pune secretary Pratap Sawant. As many as 22 cases were kept for mutual settlement but only six cases were successful in mutual settlement. Most of the cases were pertaining to vehicle thief and petty theft cases. The jury were heading to court where at the last moment one of the complainant came and requested the panellist to resolve the issue again. The panel sat and mutually settled the issue.

The complainant spoke to Pune Pulse on the condition of Anonymity, “I had received noticed from Shivaji Nagar court about the case and was asked to remain present. Initially considering the trauma I had borne due to loss of vehicle I preferred not to come. But later my conscious was making me realise that I have already got my bike and the other side family might be suffering. The delay in deciding whether to attend the hearing made me reach the venue late. I am happy that the judges and members took my case even when they were leaving the campus. I am very happy that my case is more settled. “

DLSA, Pune Secretary Pratap Sawant said, “As per the motto Access to Justice and access to door step we under the able guidance of PDJ Sanjay Deshmukh had taken up the initiative. It was our first attempt to try to compromise and mutually settle the issues amicably in Prison. As there a lot of under trail prisoners waiting for their verdict and this attempt was to aid and cater service in prison. The six cases that we settled out of 22 cases the inmates will be released on the same day, late in the evening on Saturday. “