Kolkata, June 12 -- The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has rolled out an application under its eKMC2.0 platform to modernise the administration of Lok Adalat hearings conducted by the State Legal Services Authority, enhancing transparency and efficiency in municipal governance.
It was learnt that the Lok Adalat module digitises case management, replacing manual registers with a streamlined system for recording case details, orders and hearing outcomes.
Key features include case entry with petitioner/respondent details, generating a unique reference number, and scheduling hearings with bench allocation and automated SMS/e-mail notifications.
A number will be assigned upon first-time scheduling. Post-hearing, users can upload decisions, mark case status (e.g., "deferred" for rescheduling), and record manual communications. Cases can be withdrawn before scheduling with mandatory document uploads.
According to KMC, the application promises significant benefits for citizens and administrators. Petitioners and respondents will receive timely updates via SMS/e-mail, improving accessibility. Management Information System (MIS) reports will enable data-driven decision-making while the systematic process will reduce manual efforts, fostering efficient governance.
"This is a transformative step toward citizen-centric administration," said the KMC's municipal commissioner, Dhaval Jain, emphasizing KMC's commitment to digital innovation. The initiative was approved by Mayor Firhad Hakim and MMICs (Housing, Law, PPP & Personnel, Education & IT).
To ensure smooth adoption, KMC plans to conduct staff training and address technical challenges through dedicated IT support. If someone doesn't have a phone or email, staff can still record updates manually, it was learnt.
Citizens are expected to benefit from increased transparency, with hearing schedules and outcomes communicated promptly. KMC aims to further enhance the module with multilingual notifications and awareness campaigns.
"As Kolkata embraces this digital leap, the Lok Adalat application sets a benchmark for efficient dispute
resolution, reinforcing KMC's vision of modern, accessible governance," said an IT department official.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.