Jaipur: Chief Justice of Rajasthan High Court Sanjay K Agrawal Saturday said National Lok Adalat’s objective is not merely to dispose of disputes but also to ensure that citizens get justice and develop greater trust in the judicial system.Inaugurating National Lok Adalat at the high court’s principal seat in Jodhpur, Justice Agrawal stressed that justice could be meaningful only when it reached the poorest and most downtrodden sections of the society. “Financial difficulties, lack of resources and lengthy judicial proceedings should not deprive any person of the opportunity to seek justice,” he urged.The CJ added that Lok Adalats provided an effective platform for resolving disputes through mutual consent, enabling litigants to obtain relief in less time and at lower cost. Amicable settlements could spare parties prolonged litigation, expenses and mental distress while helping reduce the burden on courts, he said. “The strength of the judiciary should not be measured solely by the number of cases disposed of but by the relief delivered to citizens and the confidence they placed in the judicial process,” he added.A total of 8,38,797 cases have been referred for settlement in National Lok Adalat across Rajasthan. These include 3,55,060 cases pending before courts and 4,83,737 pre-litigation matters. To facilitate the exercise, 499 benches have been constituted across the state.Rajasthan High Court has constituted four benches each at its Jodhpur principal seat and Jaipur bench, with additional benches operating in subordinate courts and other institutions across the state.At the Jaipur bench, Justice Mahendra Goyal inaugurated National Lok Adalat by lighting a ceremonial lamp.
