₹5.69 crore awarded through amicable settlements
SYED BASHARAT
SRINAGAR, Mar 16: In a major step towards ensuring speedy and accessible justice, the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) Srinagar, in collaboration with the District Judiciary Srinagar, successfully conducted the First National Lok Adalat of 2026 at the District Court Complex Mominabad, Srinagar, as well as at the Court of the Additional Special Mobile Magistrate/JMIC Panthachowk.
The Lok Adalat was organized under the patronage and guidance of Hon’ble Mr. Justice Arun Palli, Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh and Patron-in-Chief of the J&K Legal Services Authority, and Hon’ble Mr. Justice Sanjeev Kumar, Judge of the High Court of J&K and Ladakh and Executive Chairman of the J&K Legal Services Authority. The proceedings were conducted under the overall supervision of Principal District & Sessions Judge Srinagar and Chairman DLSA Srinagar, Mr. Haq Nawaz Zargar, along with Ms. Shazia Tabasum, Member Secretary, J&K Legal Services Authority.
The event was formally inaugurated by Principal District & Sessions Judge Srinagar, Mr. Haq Nawaz Zargar, in the presence of several judicial officers, members of the Bar, court officials, and representatives of the District Legal Services Authority.
To ensure the smooth and effective settlement of disputes, twelve separate benches were constituted, each presided over by judicial officers and supported by legal professionals.
These benches collectively took up a massive 49,252 cases for consideration, out of which 48,342 cases were amicably settled through mutual compromise between the parties involved. The settlements resulted in an impressive total compensation and settlement amount of ₹5,69,81,763, demonstrating the effectiveness of the alternative dispute resolution mechanism.
The First Bench was presided over by Ms. Kusoom Lata Pandita, Additional District Judge (Bank Cases), along with Ms. Anjum Ara, 1st Additional District & Sessions Judge, Srinagar.
The Second Bench was headed by Mr. Naushad Ahmad Khan and Mr. Zirgham Hamid, 1st Additional Munsiff/JMIC Srinagar.
The Third Bench comprised Mr. Farooq Ahmad Bhat, Additional District & Sessions Judge Srinagar, and Ms. Tabasum, Chief Judicial Magistrate Srinagar.
The Fourth Bench was presided over by Ms. Renu Dogra, Principal Judge Family Court Srinagar, and Ms. Preet Simran Kour, 4th Additional District & Sessions Judge Srinagar.
The Fifth Bench, headed by Ms. Mehreen Mushtaq, Additional Special Judge Anti-Corruption Srinagar, and Mr. Fayaz Ahmad Qureshi, Presiding Officer MACT Srinagar, handled 70 cases, out of which 38 cases were successfully settled. This bench alone facilitated settlements amounting to ₹2,89,90,000, reflecting the significant financial relief provided to litigants.
During the Lok Adalat proceedings, cheques amounting to ₹1,50,82,485 were distributed on the spot among beneficiaries by the Principal District & Sessions Judge Srinagar along with other judicial officers, ensuring immediate financial relief and satisfaction to the parties involved.
The Sixth Bench was presided over by Mr. Fida Hussain Nayek, Municipal Magistrate Srinagar, and Mr. Junaid Imtiyaz Mir, Sub-Judge Srinagar.
The Seventh Bench was headed by Mr. Mohammad Ishtiyaq Alam Baba, Forest Magistrate Srinagar, and Ms. Massarat Jabeen, PT&E Magistrate.
The Eighth Bench was presided over by Mr. Shabir Ahmad Malik, Special Mobile Magistrate Traffic Srinagar, and Ms. Mufti Nahida, Additional Special Mobile Magistrate Traffic Srinagar.
The Ninth Bench comprised Mr. Tarun Mahajan, City Judge Srinagar, and Mr. Vikas Bhardwaj, 2nd Additional Munsiff Srinagar.
The Tenth Bench was presided over by Ms. Shayesta Nazir, City Munsiff Srinagar, along with Ms. Nazia Hassan, 4th Additional Munsiff Srinagar.
The Eleventh Bench was chaired by Ms. Mainaz Qadir, Additional Special Mobile Magistrate/JMIC Panthachowk, assisted by Advocate Baba Sajad.
The Twelfth Bench was headed by Dr. Farah Deeba, Officiating President of the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission Srinagar, along with Ms. Shabnum Munshi, Member of the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission Srinagar.
During the course of the proceedings, the Principal District & Sessions Judge Srinagar personally inspected all Lok Adalat benches at the District Court Complex Srinagar as well as the court at Panthachowk. The inspections were conducted to review the progress of case settlements and to ensure the smooth and efficient functioning of the proceedings.
The Lok Adalat witnessed enthusiastic participation from judicial officers, advocates, litigants, government departments, and other stakeholders, reflecting a strong commitment towards resolving disputes through dialogue and compromise.
Officials stated that such initiatives play a crucial role in reducing the pendency of cases in courts while providing quick, cost-effective, and mutually agreeable solutions to disputes. The success of the First National Lok Adalat of 2026 underscores the judiciary’s dedication to strengthening public confidence in the justice delivery system and promoting accessible, affordable, and speedy justice for all citizens.
