'Civil society organisations can deal with some civil cases'
Source: Hueiyen News Service / Ashem Babycha

Imphal, April 26 2015 : District & Sessions Judge, Imphal East A Guneshwar Sharma stated that cases which are not sub judice can be disposed of even by local clubs and other civil society organisations.

Judge A Guneshwar Sharma, who is also the chairman of Legal Services Authority, Imphal West, was delivering a speech during a legal awareness programme at Singjamei Chingamakaha Oinam Leirak community hall in Imphal West on Sunday.

Sharma asserted that Lok Adalat, also known as people's court, disposes of especially pending cases and still other cases which have not yet been registered with law courts.

Nevertheless, he clarified that sub judice cases of heinous crimes and other criminal cases are not dispensed to Lok Adalats.

Lok Adalats have competence to deal with a number of cases like compoundable civil, revenue and criminal cases, motor accident compensation claims cases, partition claims, damages cases, matrimonial and family disputes, mutation of lands case, land pattas cases, bonded labour cases, land acquisition disputes, bank's unpaid loan cases, arrears of retirement benefits cases, family court cases, cases which are not sub-judice.

"Mob justice like arson attacks are totally against the established laws and therefore this must be stopped.

Let law take its own course.

People should not indulge in criminal cases" he appealed.

Sharma added that local clubs and civil societies like meira paibi groups are also part and parcel of Lok Adalat about which people hardly knows.

"Any civil case which has been settled by civil societies is similar to a court order.

But people must stay away themselves from criminal cases," he said.

During the programme All Manipur Bar Association (AMBA) joint secretary advocate B Supriya spoke on "Women Empowerment in Legal and Political Protection of Women from Domestic Violence" and Human Rights Alert Law Network assistant director Th Premlata on "Central Flagship Programmes" .

Leishemlon Marup Oinam Leirak president P Raghumani , CJM, Imphal West and Legal Services Authority, Imphal West secretary RK Memcha and Concerned Women's Forum for Self Upliftment president Dr M Binota were also present during the programme.

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