Helping Litigants Resolve Disputes Amicably Gives Greatest Satisfaction: CJI Chandrachud

Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud on Monday said helping litigants resolve their disputes amicably gives “greatest satisfaction to us as judges”.

The CJI was speaking to PTI on the occasion of the commencement of special Lok Adalat to amicably resolve disputes.

The week-long special Lok Adalat, celebrating 75 years of the Supreme Court, began with the aim to “facilitate amicable settlements of suitable pending cases”, in matters that have “elements of settlement”.

The CJI shared his experience in dealing with an estranged couple during a pre-Lok Adalat sitting and said the husband had filed a divorce petition against his wife in a family court at Patiala House Court.

The wife, in turn, had filed a complaint seeking maintenance against her husband besides another petition for custody of their child, he added. The husband-wife mutually decided that they would withdraw the respective cases from local courts and live together, Justice Chandrachud said, highlighting the importance of Lok Adalat in amicable settlement of disputes.

“The husband asked me whether he will have to come back to the Supreme Court after withdrawing the case,” the CJI said in Hindi, adding that he assured the man that he does not need to come back.

“I remember one case in which a man had filed for a divorce in the Patiala House Court, while his wife had filed for maintenance and custody of children. They both came for a pre-Lok Adalat sitting and decided that they will stay together. When I asked them…, they said that they have decided to live together happily,” the CJI said.

“Ultimately as judges, the greatest satisfaction for us is when we help parties resolve their disputes. Of course, as judges we have to decide disputes, deliver judgments, decide them in accordance with law, but the most important thing is the satisfaction that you get when parties have resolved disputes amicably,” Justice Chandrachud said.

Lok Adalat is an alternative dispute resolution mechanism devised to settle disputes amicably. No appeal against the mutually accepted settlement can be filed.