HC holds lok adalat to settle bank loan cases

For the past one year,Laxman Goyal,a chemist,was worried about a loan of Rs 69,000 he had taken from a private bank he could not repay installments on time.

For the past one year,Laxman Goyal,a chemist,was worried about a loan of Rs 69,000 he had taken from a private bank he could not repay installments on time. But on Saturday,he chose to return the amount in 12 easy installments,thus bringing to an end the year-long dispute.

Like Goyals,many cases were resolved at the lok adalat organised jointly by the Delhi High Court Legal Services Committee and ICICI Bank for easy settlement of loans. The event was held on High Court grounds on Saturday.

Three courts were allotted for amicable settlement of loan-related cases. Dinesh Sharma,secretary of the High Court legal services committee,said,There have been lok adalats earlier with power distribution companies BSES and NDPL. But this is the first time the High Court conducted a lok adalat for a bank.

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The response,he said,was good,though details on the number of cases settled will be available on December 5,when the second round of lok adalats take place.

Our target is not just cases pending in courts but also cases that are yet to be filed, Sharma said. Lok adalats are seen as the easiest way to reduce the number of cases pending in courts.

As retired judges presided over the cases today,representatives from ICICI Bank and the customers argued their cases to reach a settlement.

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