TOTAL 4.59 lakh cases including 19,020 court cases and 4.40 lakh cases on pre-litigation stage were settled in courts situated across Durg district in the first National Lok Adalat of the year 2025 held on Saturday. The settlement amount in these cases was Rs 35.17 crore. Presiding officers of different benches helped parties settle disputes amicably and 32 benches were constituted for the same in different courts situated at Durg, Patan, Bhilai-3 and Dhamdha. At the outset, Principal District Judge Dr Pragya Pachouri lighted the lamps and offered prayers to goddess of knowledge and wisdom ‘Maa Saraswati’ to inaugurate the National

 

Lok Adalat in District Court premises. Judicial officers and advocates were also present during the inauguration. Secretary of District Legal Services Authority, Durg, Aashish Dahariya informed that 580 criminal cases, 64 related to claim, 515 cases of cheque bounce, 117 family disputes, 55 civil matters, 28 labour disputes were settled while 6001 cases were resolved by Permanent Lok Adalat (Public Utility Services) alone. A free medical camp for the litigants coming to attend the National Lok Adalat was also organized in District Court premises in which Principal District Judge also got her health checkup done. A woman hailing from Uttar Pradesh resolved her dispute in a counter offence by appearing through the video conferencing facility. Similarly, a man who had deserted his wife agreed to live happily with her after the couple was counseled by the Presiding Officer of a bench. He also agreed to pay her Rs 5000 every month for household expenses.