National Lok Adalat resolves 38,412 cases in one day in Nellore district

Nearly 38,412 cases were settled, with compensation amount exceeding ₹2.65 crore, in a single-day sitting during the National Lok Adalat (NLA) in SPSR Nellore district. District Principal Judge G. Srinivas, along with Collector Himanshu Shukla, Municipal Commissioner Y.O. Nandan, Additional Superintendent of Police (SP) Ch. Sowjanya, attended the programme in Nellore on Saturday.

On the occasion, Mr. Srinivas said, “Resolving disputes through compromise not only saves time and money but also ensures speedy justice. The heavy caseload on the courts often leads to prolonged delays in resolving cases, causing litigants to lose both time and money. The NLA is based on the principle that amicable ‘settlement is the best path’ to address these situations.”

“When both parties reach a settlement through mutual agreement, it benefits everyone involved and provides a permanent resolution. Nellore Municipal Corporation (NMC) has outstanding dues of ₹100 crore — comprising house tax, trade tax, water tax, and other levies. In response to notices issued prior to the NLA, tax arrears of about ₹1 crore was collected by Friday evening,” he added.

Meanwhile, Collector Himanshu Shukla said, “Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanism is being successfully implemented worldwide, including in India. While the State government addresses public grievances every Monday through the Public Grievance Redressal System (PGRS), the resolution of family, property and civil disputes is possible only through the judicial system.”

The Collector explained that if both parties come forward with a mutual agreement, the court can provide legal validity and a permanent resolution. Furthermore, resolving compoundable criminal cases and minor disputes through the Lok Adalat, which would reduce the burden of pending cases on the police department and the judiciary, enabling officials to focus more on critical cases.

NMC Commissioner, on the other hand, said that taxes were the primary source of revenue for developing infrastructure such as roads, drinking water facilities, sanitation systems, drainage, and street lighting in the city. Paying taxes is the responsibility of every citizen, he said, urging all tax defaulters to avail themselves of the opportunity provided by the NLA to clear their outstanding dues.