The Andaman and Nicobar Islands saw a significant use of alternative dispute resolution mechanisms as the District Legal Services Authority and the High Court Legal Services Committee conducted National Lok Adalats across Sri Vijaya Puram, Mayabunder, Diglipur, Campbell Bay and the Circuit Bench of the Calcutta High Court. The day-long proceedings disposed of a wide range of disputes, from bank recovery and telecom cases to criminal compoundable matters, easing litigation backlog and offering financial relief to litigants.
At Sri Vijaya Puram, four benches of the District Legal Services Authority presided over by judicial officers along with advocates, social workers and representatives from civil society heard more than one thousand cases, including 795 pre-litigation matters involving BSNL recovery and 499 pending in various courts. Out of these, 47 bank recovery cases were settled, bringing down dues of nearly ₹1.97 crore to just over ₹91 lakh. The settlement resulted in a benefit of more than one crore rupees for borrowers, while nearly three lakh was realized immediately. BSNL cases worth ₹57,020 were settled at ₹29,000 with ₹14,000 collected on the spot. Criminal compoundable cases disposed of at Sri Vijaya Puram brought fines totaling nearly five lakh rupees. A Negotiable Instruments Act case involving a disputed cheque of ₹3.5 lakh was settled at ₹1.67 lakh. In addition, Campbell Bay matters were heard through virtual mode, leading to the disposal of twelve Motor Vehicles Act cases and fines of more than ₹30,000.
Mayabunder also held one bench, where 127 pre-litigation cases were taken up, including one hundred involving BSNL recovery. Thirteen bank recovery cases settled dues of over one crore rupees at just twelve lakh, delivering relief of nearly ninety-eight lakh to loan borrowers. The bench realized more than one lakh on the spot. Five BSNL disputes were also closed, and 112 pending court matters were considered. Among these, 69 compoundable criminal cases were disposed of, bringing in fines totaling ₹1.23 lakh. The bench at Diglipur took up 161 pre-litigation matters, of which 115 were BSNL recovery. Five bank recovery cases worth nearly ten lakh rupees were settled at seven lakh, with borrowers receiving relief of about ₹2.6 lakh. The bench also resolved five BSNL cases and collected immediate payment of nearly ₹10,000. Twenty-eight criminal compoundable cases were disposed of, with fines totaling more than one lakh rupees.
Parallel to these proceedings, the High Court Legal Services Committee conducted the third National Lok Adalat at the Circuit Bench of the Calcutta High Court in Sri Vijaya Puram, in association with the State Legal Services Authority. Presided over virtually by Justice Shampa Sarkar, assisted by advocate V.D. Sivabalan, the bench considered eleven cases and disposed of two. Although modest in number, the exercise underscored the outreach of Lok Adalats even at the High Court level in remote territories.
These coordinated sessions across the islands demonstrate the growing role of Lok Adalats in providing quick, low-cost justice while reducing the backlog of pending cases. Borrowers struggling with repayment received significant waivers, telecom-related disputes were closed, and criminal cases found closure through fines, saving time and resources for both litigants and the judiciary. For financial institutions, such recoveries not only reduce non-performing assets but also improve relations with borrowers by offering settlements.
The Lok Adalat initiative also ensures access to justice in geographically isolated regions where court infrastructure is limited and travel is often difficult. By holding benches at multiple sub-divisional levels and even accommodating virtual participation for Campbell Bay, the mechanism expanded its reach across the islands. The simultaneous involvement of judges, magistrates, advocates, and community representatives added to the credibility and inclusiveness of the process.
For the islands’ residents, these exercises reaffirm the principle of timely justice without the burden of prolonged litigation. As the legal services authorities continue to coordinate with courts at every level, the use of Lok Adalats remains a vital instrument to balance judicial pendency with citizen-centric dispute resolution in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
