Kochi: The mega adalat, conducted across the state, created history on Saturday, with more than 30,000 people turning up before the benches and 11,000 odd cases being settled. In the adalat conducted at the Kerala High Court, two bank loan cases of Rs 3.5 crore and Rs 3 crore were settled amicably, the defaulters being permitted to repay the loan in installments.
The adalat bench, headed by district judge Gracy Kutty Jacob, allowed the bank loan case filed by the State Bank of India against Abdul Majeed of Palakkad. Majeed will have to pay Rs 5 lakh as an initial payment and the rest in installments.
The Kerala State Legal Services Authority (KELSA) organised the Mega Adalat in connection with the National Lok Adalat held throughout the country. All the 14 District Centres and 63 Taluk Centres in the state conducted it. Sitting Judicial Officers, including current sitting High Court Judges, participated.
According to P. Mohandas, member secretary of KELSA, the mega adalat was a big success, considering the conversion rate of the cases. "Awards were passed on more than 3 crore cases in the adalat alone in the High Court. Nearly 30 per cent of cases, including pending cases and pre- litigation matters, were settled in the adalat." he added.
The cases settled included motor accident claims, LIS fraud and Rajaharshi chitti fraud cases. The Ernakulam Lok Adalat took up as many as 450 cases for amicable settlement. KELSA’s Lok Adalat held at Thiruvananthapuram saw settlement of cases involving claims to the tune of Rs 14 crores.
