Have a pending case in the Punjab and Haryana High Court that could be settled through mutual agreement? There is an opportunity to bring the dispute to an end without waiting for a prolonged court battle.The High Court Legal Services Committee has asked litigants, insurance companies, advocates and other parties concerned to approach its Lok Adalat Branch by December 5 to get their cases listed for the National Lok Adalat scheduled for December 12.In a notice issued by Committee Secretary Swati Sehgal, the fourth National Lok Adalat of this year will be held on the second Saturday of December in accordance with the annual schedule fixed by the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA).The stakeholders have been requested to approach the Lok Adalat Branch of the High Court Legal Services Committee at Chandigarh within the stipulated deadline for getting their cases listed for settlement.The exercise offers an opportunity to parties willing to resolve their disputes through mutual agreement instead of continuing with lengthy litigation. It is particularly relevant to cases involving insurance companies, where disputes may be resolved through negotiations and an agreed settlement.Why is Lok Adalat important?A settlement reached before a Lok Adalat is not merely an informal agreement. Under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, an award passed following a settlement has the same legal force as a decree of a civil court. It is final and binding on the parties, and no appeal lies against it.The mechanism can be used for pending cases as well as eligible disputes that have not yet reached court. These may include civil disputes, motor accident compensation claims and compoundable criminal cases, subject to the applicable legal requirements.For litigants, the biggest advantage is that a mutually acceptable settlement can bring litigation to an end without waiting for the normal course of a trial or appeal. The Act also provides for a refund of court fee in qualifying pending cases settled through a Lok Adalat.However, a settlement cannot be imposed on either party. If the parties fail to reach an agreement in a pending case, it goes back to the court concerned for further proceedings. As such, the litigants and their advocates now have an opportunity to explore whether their pending disputes can be resolved in the December 12 National Lok Adalat.