New Delhi, May 5 (IANS) In a continued push towards ensuring accessible and expeditious justice, the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) will organise the second National Lok Adalat of 2026 on May 9 across the country.

The nationwide initiative, to be held under the leadership of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant, Patron-in-Chief of NALSA, and Justice Vikram Nath, Executive Chairman, seeks to promote amicable settlement of disputes and reduce the burden on courts through participatory and people-centric mechanisms.

The National Lok Adalat will be conducted at multiple levels, including High Courts, District Courts, Tribunals, Consumer Forums, and Permanent Lok Adalats, ensuring wide outreach and accessibility.

In certain States and Union Territories, the exercise will be conducted on staggered dates — June 13 in Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal; June 20 in Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Telangana; and July 11 in Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Karnataka.

A wide range of disputes will be taken up during the Lok Adalat, covering both pre-litigation and pending matters. These include criminal compoundable cases, cheque dishonour matters, bank recovery disputes, motor accident claims, service and pension issues, matrimonial disputes (excluding divorce), labour matters, land acquisition cases, consumer disputes, utility bill issues, traffic challans, and other civil cases suitable for settlement.

According to NALSA, the Lok Adalat mechanism continues to serve as an effective alternative to conventional litigation by encouraging consensual settlements that are timely, cost-effective, and mutually acceptable. The impact of the initiative has been significant, with over 10.45 crore cases settled in 2024 and more than 14.84 crore cases resolved in 2025 through four National Lok Adalats.

The first National Lok Adalat of 2026 alone saw over 4.06 crore cases being settled, reflecting growing public trust and institutional commitment to reducing pendency.

Special focus will also be placed on long-pending matters identified through the National Judicial Data Grid, as part of efforts to reduce pendency and enhance the efficiency of the justice delivery system.

NALSA stressed that the Lok Adalat framework not only helps decongest courts but also preserves relationships and reduces litigation costs, making justice delivery more humane and accessible.

NALSA, established under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, plays a crucial role in ensuring access to justice for marginalised and underprivileged sections of society.

–IANS

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