First Manipur’s online Lok Adalat conducted

Imphal: The Manipur State Legal Services Authority (MASLSA) under the aegis of National legal Services Authority organised the state’s first  online Lok Adalat on Wednesday at the office of MASLSA, ADR building, Lamphelpat.

Justice Kh. Nobin Singh, Judge, High Court of Manipur and executive chairman, MASLSA inaugurated the online Lok Adalat through virtual ceremony. Golmei Gaiphulshillu, member secretary, MASLSA gave a welcome address to all present.

Justice Kh. Nobin Singh said this online Lok Adalat is organised with the aim to generate awareness to the public regarding this new approach to settle disputes through online mechanism and other electronic means. The concept of Online Lok Adalat has been necessitated due to various restrictions in the normal functioning of all the institutions in the country due to Covid-19 pandemic.

The Lok Adalat bench comprises Ojesh Mutum, addl. Sessions Judge, First Track Court, Crime Against Women, Manipur as chairman and Ch. Momon Singh, advocate as member. P. Ibomcha Singh, advocate and Sapam Jivan Singh, advocates were present in the online Lok Adalat representing their respective parties. Amongst the claimants, Ms. Hejang Haokip and Ms. Kimneichong Khongsai were present and the rest were represented by counsels. Naorem Ibomcha Singh, divisional manager, National Insurance Company Ltd. was also present in the proceedings.

In the online Lok Adalat, 12 cases concerning Motor Accident Claims cases pending before the MACT, Manipur were taken up, out of which seven cases were settled harmoniously. As per the petitions, the total claimed amount for compensation was Rs 2.90 crore; and after due deliberations between the claimants and the insurance company, the matter was settled amicably on the terms and conditions agreed upon by the parties in the presence of the chairman and the member of the Bench.

MASLSA is thankful to the Presiding Officer and staff of MACT, Judicial Officers, ld. advocates, all the parties, officials of National Insurance Company Ltd, News and Print Media for making this programme a success, MASLSA said in a press statement released on Wednesday.

During this pandemic, the role of legal services institutions has become all the more important and all the legal services functionaries in the state are constantly striving to ensure justice is accessible in such unprecedented times. In order to ameliorate the situation, a broad range of legal services are being provided by the legal services institutions to the needy including victims of domestic violence, daily wagers, tenants, undertrials, convicts, migrants and all other marginalised sections of the society, it said.

The concept of Online Lok Adalat is one such approach, which is reflective of the innovative approach being adopted by MASLSA since the onset of the pandemic.

Introduction of e-Lok Adalat will give new momentum to Lok Adalats in India. However, the crucial challenge lies in popularising the idea of e-Lok Adalat at the grass-root level. It is thus requested to all the News and Print Media to give wider dissemination of the concept of e-Lok Adalat as well as availability of legal services and Legal Services Institutions in general so that access to justice is enabled for all, MASLSA said.

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