Over 24 Lakh Cases Disposed In 1st National Lok Adalat Of 2026 In Jharkhand

A total of 22,59,352 pre-litigation cases and 1,66,384 pending cases were disposed of during the first National Lok Adalat of 2026 held on March 14 across Jharkhand, with settlements amounting to ₹28,13,96,85,088, according to an official press release.

The event was inaugurated virtually by Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad, Judge of the Jharkhand High Court and Executive Chairman of the Jharkhand State Legal Services Authority, from Sidgora Town Hall in Jamshedpur. A State-Level Legal Services-cum-Empowerment Camp was also organised on the occasion.

Justice Pradeep Kumar Srivastava, Judge of the Jharkhand High Court, attended the programme as the Guest of Honour. The event was also attended by the Principal District & Sessions Judge, Deputy Commissioner and Senior Superintendent of Police of Jamshedpur, among other officials.

During the programme, assets worth ₹3 crore were distributed to 1,030 beneficiaries under various welfare schemes through the Legal Services-cum-Empowerment Camp organised by JHALSA. At the Jharkhand High Court premises, the Jharkhand High Court Legal Services Committee constituted one bench, which disposed of 11 pending cases during the Lok Adalat.

Addressing the gathering, Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad expressed hope that the Lok Adalat initiative would continue to perform effectively throughout the year and emphasised the importance of ensuring full utilisation of funds under government schemes so that the benefits reach families and contribute to broader social and national development. He also highlighted social concerns such as witchcraft-related violence, human trafficking of children, sexual offences against children and drug abuse, stressing the need for awareness and coordinated action.

Justice Pradeep Kumar Srivastava observed that both the State and Central Governments are committed to ensuring that welfare schemes reach every citizen, noting the important role played by legal services authorities in promoting legal awareness and access to justice.

The programme began with a welcome address by JHALSA Member Secretary Kumari Ranjana Asthana, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by the Principal District & Sessions Judge, Jamshedpur. The dignitaries also inspected stalls set up by various government departments to review different welfare schemes