As of March 16, there are over 17,000 cases pending in various courts of Manipur comprising 4,945 cases in the state High Court and 12,704 pending cases in various district courts, according to the Manipur State Legal Service Authority (MASLSA).
India has about four crore pending court cases in the district courts, about 58 lakh cases in various high courts and about 70,000 cases pending in the Supreme Court.
The press statement of MASLSA stated that a special webinar was held on March 15 by the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) wherein executive chairman of NALSA, Justice UU Lalit, Judge, Supreme Court of India interacted with the executive chairpersons and member secretaries of all the state legal services authorities.
In the webinar, justice UU Lalit congratulated all the legal service workforce for achieving a remarkable case disposal figure of 77,94,280 cases in the recently concluded 1st National Lok Adalat 2022 held on March 12, all across the country. The figure includes more than 24 lakhs pending court cases and about 53 lakh pre-litigation matters, and the disposal rate of pre-litigation cases and pending court cases are increased by more than 50% and 25% respectively from the last National Lok Adalat conducted.
For the state of Manipur, the meeting was attended by the executive chairman, Manipur State Legal Services Authority (MASLSA), Justice L Jamir, Judge of the High Court of Manipur and Ojesh Mutum, member secretary, MASLSA.
In the recently concluded Lok Adalat in Manipur, a total of 271 cases were disposed of out of 443 cases taken up which accounts for 61% of the total cases taken up in the said Lok Adalat. The disposal rate was increased by 12% from the last lok adalat conducted in December, 2021. The total amount settled by the recently concluded Lok Adalat sums up to Rs 2,93,87,729 (Rupees Two Crores Ninety-Three Lakhs Eighty-Seven Thousand Seven Hundred and Twenty-Nine) only which shows an increase settlement amount of more than a crore rupee from the settlement amount achieved in the last Lok Adalat.
For pre-litigation matters, the majority of the cases disposed were of bank loan recovery cases whereas for pending court cases, the maximum disposal of cases was of Motor Accident Claims/Insurance cases and also includes family court matter, civil court cases and Negotiable Instruments Act (Cheque Bouncing) cases. A 12 (twelve) year old pending civil dispute (property matter) was also amicably settled in said Lok Adalat. Amongst the pre-litigation matters, cases referred from the Legal Aid Clinics were also successfully resolved.
MASLSA stated that the Lok Adalat provides a very easy, cost-effective and speedy disposal of both pre-litigation and pending court cases as an alternative dispute resolution mechanism. Manipur State Legal Services Authority appeals to all the public, government departments, associations, financial institutions, corporations etc. to come forward and refer their pre-litigation or pending court cases to the legal service institutions for effective and speedy disposal of the matter in the upcoming National Lok Adalats on May 14, August 13 and November 12, 2022.
