India, July 4 -- In a significant development, the Patna high court has directed permanent lok adalats (PLAs) in district courts across Bihar to hear and dispose of compoundable traffic challan cases, holding that there is no legal bar under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, to adjudicate such matters. In its June 23 order, uploaded on the high court portal on June 25, a division bench comprising chief justice Meenakshi Madan Rai and justice Soni Shrivastava said the move would help reduce the large backlog of traffic challan cases in the state. The court clarified that permanent lok adalats can entertain compoundable traffic offences, provided the dispute value does not exceed Rs.10 lakh, and directed all PLAs in Bihar to take up such cases in addition to their existing jurisdiction....