CHANDIGARH:  Punjab Legal Services Authority has issued schedule of Quarterly Lok Adalats and Special Lok Adalats to be held in all over Punjab for the period from July to September, 2008.

Stating this here Monday, a spokesman of the Punjab Government said that Lok Adalats would be held  at Mansa, Sardulgarh, Budhlada on 26.7.2008; Hoshiarpur, Garshankar, Dasuya, Amritsar, Patti, Ajnala, Baba Bakala, Tarn-Taran on 02-08-2008; Labour Court, Bathinda on 8-8-2008; Kapurthala, Sultanpur Lodhi, Phagwara, Faridkot, Moga, Muktsar, Malout, Gidderbaha on 9-8-2008; Bathinda, Talwandi Sabo, Rampura Phul, Fatehgarh Sahib, Amloh on 16-8-08; Ropar, Mohali, Anandpur Sahib, Kharar on 23-8-08; Labour Court Amritsar on 29-8-08; Jalandhar, Nawanshahr, Nakodar, Phillour, Balachaur, Labour Court Jalandhar on 30-8-08; Labour Court Gurdaspur on 5-9-08; Gurdaspur, Batala, Pathankot on 6-9-08; Ludhiana, Jagraon, Khanna, Samrala, Labour Court Ludhiana on 13-9-08; Sangrur, Munak, Barnala, Malerkotla, Dhuri, Sunam, Ferozpur, Abohar, Fazilka, Zira, Jalalabad West on 20-9-08 and Patiala, Rajpura, Nabha, Samana, Labour Court Patiala on 27-9-08.

The Spokesman further said that Special Lok Adalats would be held for all types of Civil & Criminal Cases at Ropar on 23-8-08; Jalandhar on 30-8-08; Ludhiana on 13-9-08 and Patiala on 27-9-08. Adding further he  said that the main objective of the Lok Adalats was to dispose of litigation on the spot and make it hassle free. It also saved the
precious time and money spent on  the litigating by public.

The spokesman said that this authority was constituted on 20-2-1998 and since then till date, the Authority has organized 4653 Lok Adalats in which 6,94,016 cases were taken up, out of which 3,83,363 cases were mutually settled and the parties were awarded compensation to the tune of Rs.1114, 45,23,921. He further said that from 1998 to the financial year 2007-08 legal aid was provided to 31,278 persons which includes 3846 persons belonging to ST/SC community, 15693 persons in custody, 3879 women and children and 7860 poor persons.