Berhampur, Aug. 3: A Permanent Lok Adalat was inaugurated here to provide speedy justice to the common man.

The lok adalat is headed by Ranjit Kumar Banerjee, who was formerly associated with the Orissa Sales Tax Tribunal. The other two members are J.K. Patnaik, former professor of M.K.C.G. Medical College and Hospital, and former engineer Basudev Patra.

“The lok adalat will deal with grievances relating to public utility services like transport, postal, electricity, water supply, sanitation, hospitals and insurance,” said Ranjit Kumar Banerjee, chairman of the adalat, after the inauguration ceremony.

With this, the number of permanent lok adalats in the state has become seven. It was scheduled to be inaugurated by Chief Justice V. Gopala Gowda on August 1. As he was preoccupied, Banerjee inaugurated it. “A large number of unwarranted litigations concerning these issues are reaching the high court, which could otherwise be settled through the lok adalats,” said Banerjee.

Explaining the functioning of the lok adalats, he said that any one could make application to the permanent lok adalat for settlement of disputes. “We are here to provide speedy remedy absolutely free of cost particularly to the poorer section of the society. But, what we need is awareness among people about the functioning of the organisation,” Banerjee said.

These lok adalats shall not have jurisdiction in respect of non-compoundable cases and jurisdiction in matters where value of a property in a dispute exceeds Rs 10 lakh.

“The concept of Lok Adalat (Peoples’ Court) is an innovative Indian contribution to the world of jurisprudence. During the past few years, lok adalat has been found to be a successful tool of alternate dispute resolution in India,” said Jyoti Chotray, secretary of the Ganjam Bar Association.

Lok adalats have three members; the chairman, who is or has been a district judge or an additional district judge or held a judicial office higher in rank than that of a district judge and two other members having adequate experience in public utility service. Such persons shall be appointed by the state or the central authority.