Kerala - Kochi   

Judgments should ensure social justice'

Staff Reporter

Special Lok Adalat held at High Court

KOCHI: Transport Minister Mathew T. Thomas said court judgments should become effective weapons for social change and for ensuring social justice.

Inaugurating the Special Legal Literacy Classes for members of Kudumbasree, organised by the Kerala State Legal Services Authority as part of the Golden Jubilee of the Kerala High Court here on Saturday, the Minister said the basic lessons in legal awareness should start from the family.

Legal awareness

He said legal awareness could be inculcated among family members and the general public by improving the legal awareness of women. He said social value systems should reflect in court judgments.

Mr. Thomas said in this era of globalisation and liberalisation, people depended upon court verdicts to find a solution to several problems. However, the practice of misusing public interest litigations, which is an effective social tool, by certain vested interested should be ended.

Kerala High Court Chief Justice V.K. Bali inaugurated the Special Lok Adalats organised by the Legal Services Authority to mark the High Court Golden Jubilee.

The Special Lok Adalats conducted by the High Court Legal Services Committee and the Special Lok Adalat conducted for Pre-litigation Petitions organised by the District Legal Services Authority, Ernakulam, were held in the Court Halls of the Kerala High Court.

A total number of 484 High Court cases were taken up for settlement at the adalat held at 14 courts in the High Court, with judges and former judges of the High Court attending the cases. Of these, 47 cases were settled. Among the pre-litigation petitions, 150 cases were settled.

`Plea bargaining'

Kerala High Court Judge K.S. Radhakrishnan, who is also the executive chairman of Legal Services Authority, Union Territory of Lakshadweep, inaugurated a workshop on `Plea Bargaining' for judicial officers, lawyers and law students. The workshop was held in the afternoon at the Kerala High Court Advocates' Association Hall in the High Court building. The Special Legal Literacy classes were held in the High Court auditorium after the inaugural function.

M.A. Aboobacker, central region director of Kudumbasree Mission, and G. Sreekumar, president, Kerala High Court Advocates' Association, offered felicitations. Kerala High Court judge J.B. Koshy; executive chairman of Kerala State Legal Services Authority presided.

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