Ranchi/Dhanbad, September 12: The National Lok Adalat was organised across Jharkhand on Saturday under the aegis of the Jharkhand State Legal Services Authority (JHALSA). A total of 24,99,985 cases were disposed of across the state, with a total settlement amount of more than ₹964.05 crore. The cases included 23,39,503 pre-litigation matters and 1,60,482 pending cases.
The state-level National Lok Adalat was inaugurated at Annapurna Bhawan in Koyla Nagar, Dhanbad, by Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad, Judge of the Jharkhand High Court and Executive Chairman of JHALSA. The programme was streamed online across the state. A state-level Legal Services-cum-Empowerment Camp was also organised on the occasion.
Addressing the gathering, Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad said the objective of the National Lok Adalat was not merely to dispose of cases but also to provide people with speedy, accessible and free justice. Settlement of disputes through mutual consent and compromise saves both time and money for the parties and promotes harmony in society. He also emphasised the need to take constitutional rights to every section of society.
He stressed the importance of educating children and urged people to prevent young people from falling into drug addiction. He said substance abuse affects not only an individual family but society as a whole.
The inaugural programme in Dhanbad was attended by BCCL CMD Manoj Kumar Agrawal, Principal District and Sessions Judge Nikesh Kumar Sinha, Dhanbad Deputy Commissioner Aditya Ranjan, Senior Superintendent of Police Prabhat Kumar and senior officials of various departments.
Over 9.13 Lakh Cases Disposed of in Ranchi
In Ranchi, the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) disposed of 48,076 pending cases and 8,65,394 pre-litigation matters through the National Lok Adalat. The total settlement amount in these cases stood at ₹367 crore 78 lakh 65 thousand.
The programme at the Ranchi Civil Court was attended by Justice Commissioner Anil Kumar Mishra-I, Principal Judge of the Family Court Pawan Kumar, Chief Judicial Magistrate S.B. Sharma, DLSA Secretary Rakesh Roshan, judicial officers, advocates, mediators, Para-Legal Volunteers and others.
Acid Attack Victim Receives ₹12 Lakh Compensation
During the Lok Adalat, ₹12 lakh was provided to acid attack victim Rahul Kumar under the Jharkhand Victim Compensation Scheme. Sushila Devi received ₹5 lakh in a murder case, while ₹6.86 lakh was awarded in a commercial execution matter and ₹37.34 lakh was provided as compensation to a claimant in a motor vehicle accident case.
₹96-Lakh Cheque-Bounce Case Settled for ₹54 Lakh
An NI Act case involving a payment dispute of ₹96 lakh was settled for ₹54 lakh through a pre-Lok Adalat conciliation meeting under NALSA’s “Mediation for Nation Drive 3.0.”
Released Prisoner Provided Employment and Welfare Support
Mogo Kachhap, who spent nearly 16 years in prison after being convicted in a murder case, was provided assistance by DLSA to help him reintegrate into mainstream society. Following counselling, his job card was prepared with the assistance of the Labour Department. He was also provided ₹2 lakh insurance coverage, linked with the Kanyadan scheme, and given a ₹10,000 cheque with support from NLU Ranchi.
Steps were also initiated to provide him with a ration card, Ayushman card and benefits under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana/Abua Awas scheme.
Mediation Brings Estranged Couple Back Together
A matrimonial dispute in O.M. No. 504/2025 was also resolved through mediation. Khushboo Sahu and her husband Sanjay Kumar had been involved in a dispute concerning maintenance. Following a settlement, both agreed to resume living together. During the National Lok Adalat, they were welcomed with garlands and wished a happy married life.
JHALSA had constituted around 289 benches across the state for the National Lok Adalat. In Ranchi, 38 benches were constituted for Judicial Magistrates and 20 for Executive Magistrates.
