PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
A National Lok Adalat will be organised in Dehradun on May 9, 2026, under the aegis of the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), Dehradun, for quick, accessible and amicable settlement of pending and pre-litigation cases through mutual reconciliation and settlement. The Adalat will be held at the district headquarters as well as all outer court complexes.
Secretary and civil judge (Senior Division) of DLSA, Dehradun, Seema Dungrakoti informed that various types of cases—such as civil, matrimonial and family disputes, cheque bounce cases, recovery and motor accident-related cases, labour disputes, consumer forum cases and pre-litigation cases—will be settled during the National Lok Adalat. Additionally, Motor Vehicle Act (MV Act) challans of a compoundable nature pending in the courts will also be resolved. This will allow for cases to be settled without incurring any extra costs, aside from the prescribed fee.
Dungrakoti further explained that compoundable offenses include issues such as rash driving, dangerous driving, driving without a license/registration certificate/insurance/permit, failure to wear a seatbelt or helmet, driving by an unauthorized person, overloading the vehicle, excessive honking, not yielding to emergency vehicles, safety rule violations by motorcyclists or pillion riders, unauthorised interference with a stationary vehicle and driving under mental or physical incapacity. However, cases involving drunken driving and driving by a minor are not included in the compoundable category.
She also highlighted that one of the features of the Lok Adalat is that no court fees are payable for the cases resolved there. If any fees have already been paid, they will be refunded according to the rules. The decisions made in Lok Adalat are final and binding, with no option for appeal. The DLSA has urged the general public—particularly those with pending cases in the courts of Dehradun, Rishikesh, Vikasnagar, Doiwala, Chakrata and Mussoorie—to take advantage of this opportunity by applying for a settlement based on compromise in their respective courts before May 9, 2026. The National Lok Adalat represents a significant initiative aimed at providing affordable, accessible and speedy justice to the public, she said.
