Guwahati, July 22: Gauhati High Court has set a target to dispose of 26,000 pending cases in motor accident claims tribunals across Assam with the help of daily Lok Adalats.
The court constituted the Lok Adalats to dispose of 10,000 pending cases in Guwahati, which started functioning from Monday, and hoped all the cases will be resolved within six months.
The high court today sent letters to all district courts asking them to set up similar daily Lok Adalats to resolve all pending cases. "Keeping in view the huge pendency of motor accident claim cases in the districts and the time required to dispose of such cases vis-a-vis the infrastructure, Chief Justice (acting) of Gauhati High Court K. Sreedhar Rao devised the mechanism of daily Lok Adalat," said H.K. Sarma, registrar- general of the court.
"There will be a Lok Adalat on all working days and it will take up accident claim cases against a particular insurance company daily. Apart from reducing pendency of accident claim cases, this will benefit the victims of vehicular accidents in getting compensation," said Sarma.
"On the first day, Lok Adalat cases against Oriental Insurance Company were taken up and 20 cases settled. A total compensation of Rs 1.5 crore was awarded to the claimants. On the second day, 41 cases against National Insurance Company were settled and a total compensation of Rs 2.13 crore awarded."
On the other hand, to dispose of nearly 4,000 pending Diwani cases in Kamrup (metro), the court has appointed 67 commissioners who will record evidence. "This will save precious time and help solve a case within six to seven months, which otherwise takes years," said Sarma.
There are 35,000 pending Diwani cases across the state. Sarma said if they succeeded in Guwahati, the high court would expand the system to other districts in the state. Sarma said the Assam government had allotted Rs 1 crore to pay these commissioners.