Nagpur: In an unusual outreach effort that took Nagpur bench of Bombay high court beyond its courtrooms and into district and taluka courts, its judges fanned out across Vidarbha on Saturday to oversee National Lok Adalat proceedings while simultaneously taking stock of judicial infrastructure and hearing concerns of lawyers and court staff.According to sources in the judiciary, the exercise covered more than 80 talukas across 11 districts of Vidarbha, with HC judges, who are also the respective guardian judges, visiting courts in their assigned districts. Sources described the initiative as unprecedented in the history of the Lok Adalat exercise at Nagpur bench.The visits were not confined to the settlement of cases. The judges inspected court infrastructure, including the condition and functioning of court facilities, and reviewed residential accommodation available to members of the judiciary and court staff wherever they visited.They also interacted with members of the local Bar and heard their concerns about infrastructure, court facilities and other difficulties affecting the functioning of district and taluka courts.The exercise gave the judges an opportunity to see the working conditions at courts at the grassroots level rather than relying solely on reports and correspondence from district administrations, according to judicial sources.Nagpur bench has 11 districts under its guardian-judge system — Nagpur, Amravati, Chandrapur, Akola, Gondia, Yavatmal, Wardha, Bhandara, Gadchiroli, Buldhana and Washim.The special drive coincided with National Lok Adalat held on Sept 12. The judges also helped address issues that arose during the Lok Adalat proceedings, coordinating with local judicial officers and other stakeholders wherever necessary.The initiative assumed particular importance for taluka courts, which are often the first point of contact with the justice system for litigants outside major cities. By visiting the courts personally, the HC judges were able to assess not only the infrastructure available to judicial officers but also the facilities available to lawyers and staff.National Lok Adalat itself was part of High Court’s continuing effort to facilitate amicable settlement of disputes and reduce pendency. At Nagpur bench on Sept 12, 67 cases were settled, involving settlements worth ₹83.5 crore, according to High Court Legal Services Sub-Committee.
