• This year, a total of 52,000 different cases and disputes resolved through mediation in Mysuru district

Mysore/Mysuru: The Mega Lok Adalat held in Mysuru yesterday saw 25 estranged couples reunite.

The couples, who had applied for divorce, were counselled and reunited at the Lok Adalat held at the Malalavadi Court Complex in Jayanagar. Most of the couples turned emotional on the occasion and exchanged sweets.

The reunited couples were distributed a book titled ‘Anyonya Dampatya Hege’ by Principal District and Sessions Court Judge M.L. Raghunath, who is also the President of District Legal Services Authority (DLSA).

The Lok Adalat also saw issuance of an estimated 7,000 birth certificates. The DLSA had taken a decision to facilitate issuance of birth certificates during the Lok Adalat after it had found that thousands of school children in the district, mostly in rural areas, did not have them.

The reunion of estranged couples and issuance of birth certificates were among the estimated 52,000 cases that were identified for resolution at yesterday’s Lok Adalat, that was held simultaneously across several Court Halls in city and district.

The cases considered included not only pending ones but also pre-litigation cases, with the DLSA carrying out a legal awareness programme in different parts of the district calling upon the litigants to resolve their disputes through mediation, counselling and conciliation.

The cases resolved during Saturday’s Lok Adalat included Motor Vehicle Accident claims under the IMA Act, cheque bounce cases registered under the Negotiable Instruments Act, land acquisition cases, marital and domestic disputes, compoundable criminal cases, partition suits, injunction suits etc.

Senior Civil Judge and DLSA Member-Secretary Devaraj Bhute, Mysore Bar Association President M. Anand Kumar, Judges Sudha Sethuram Omkar, K. Girish Bhat, H.M. Virupakshaiah, Vela Khode and others were present.

Meanwhile, DLSA Member-Secretary Devaraj Bhute, in a press release, said that out of the 1,48,377 cases pending in city and taluk Courts of the district, 1,18,284 compoundable and civil cases were identified for resolution earlier this year. So far, 52,000 cases in total,  including 51,815 litigation and 185 pre-litigation cases, have been settled through mediation.

The Lok Adalat held yesterday, also saw settlement of 142 domestic disharmony cases, including the reunion of 25 estranged couples.

Over 7,000 school children, most of whom are from rural areas, were distributed birth certificates. The Mega Lok Adalat also ordered a total compensation of Rs. 100.39 crore in respect of land acquisition cases and  claims  under various cases regarding  compensation, the release said.