News and Pics: Hemanath Padubidri
Daijiworld Media Network—Udupi (RD/CN)
 
Udupi, Aug 2: Lok Adalat was inaugurated at the district court complex here on Monday August 2 under the aegis of district legal services authority and the bar association.
 
Lok Adalat will be held between 3 pm and 5 pm on alternate days excluding holidays up to March 2011. 
 
District JMFC judge Narendra Kumar B Gunaki inaugurated the Lok Adalat on Monday afternoon.

Speaking on the occasion, he said that there are about 20,000 cases lying unresolved in the courts in the district. Of this, 2,882 cases are related to motor vehicles, 473 are financial disputes, 280 are related to land acquisition, 694 uncompromised cases, 3,293 bounced cheque cases and 1,270 are petty cases.
 
Western Range IGP Gopal Hosur presided over the programme. In his presidential address, he said that there are over 2,500 court buildings across the country and there are 4 crore cases pending in various courts. 

“Out of the country’s population of 120 crore, 60–70 percent are into litigation for some reason. The visits to courts by the hapless litigants can be curbed by improving the basic infrastructure in the country”, said Hosur.
 
He further added that it is during his ongoing term that four significant issues related to Naxalism, terrorism, extortion, and communal violence were tackled effectively by the police department with the support of the courts and civil society. 
 
Kundapur assistant commissioner B Sadashiv Prabhu was the chief guest on the occasion.
 
The district bar association president Vijay Hegde, and district fast-track court judge J L Patil were also present.
 
Civil judge Savithri V Bhat welcomed the gathering. Secretary Reynold Praveen Kumar proposed the vote of thanks. Lawyer Suprasad Shetty compered the programme.