Shimla: To settle a 12 year old defamation suit former chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal presented himself before the a bench of the National Lok Adalat here today, a little while ago, whereas union commerce and industry minister Anand Sharma and senior congress leader Moti Lal Vohra failed to turn up.
Where Dhumal was accompanied by his lawyer Satyapal Jain, Sharma and Vohra did not even have lawyer to represent them before the bench where the case that was listed for settlement today.
With no settlement arrived at, the case has been listed for final discussion on 21 December.
The case was slapped on Anand Sharma, Moti Lal Vohra and Cpt Amarinder Singh over leveling charges of omission and commission and disclosing a list of properties allegedly owned by Dhumal and his family just before the 2002 general assembly elections.
The damages suit against Amarinder Singh was dropped is the last hearing, after he had apologized and blamed the media for mis -quoting him.
National Lok Adalat is being held in all courts of Himachal Pradesh, where 19,414 cases are being heard at the lower judiciary level and 1500 cases at the High Court level for which 18 benches have been constituted.
Only compoundable criminal cases, cases under the Negotiable Instruments Act, Motor Accidents, Compensation Act, Matrimonial and family cases, Labour disputes, Land Acquisition cases and Civil cases have been taken up for disposal at the Lok Adalat’s.
Photo: Amit
As Editor, Ravinder Makhaik leads the team of media professionals at Hill Post.
In a career spanning over two decades through all formats of journalism in Electronic, Print and Online Media, he brings with him enough experience to steer this platform. He lives in Shimla.
THE VALUABLE TIME OF JUDICIARY IS ACCOUNTABLE…..,SOME REALIZE..