Mediation can reduce pending cases in courts: Justice Lokur

The Mediation and Conciliation Project Committee (MCPC) constituted by the Supreme Court to speedily resolve issues between people would be further strengthened and there is a plan to adopt the concept of Community Mediation Centres by next year so that the burden of pending cases could be reduced in the courts.
This was stated by Supreme Court judge Justice Madan B Lokur and Member MCPC while inaugurating a two-day regional conference on Mediation for Zone-I here, which was organised by Punjab and Haryana High Court at Chandigarh Judicial Academy, an official release said.
Justice Lokur also released a Video CD of documentary titled as "Aao Rah Aasaan Kare" which has been prepared by Mediation Committee of Punjab and Haryana High Court to popularise the concept of mediation.

Justice Lokur said that cases were being resolved through Lok Adalats, but due to increasing number of pending cases, it is necessary to adopt the alternate method of justice.
Mediation is one solution to problems like number of pending cases and the idea is to provide justice to the people speedily and making it affordable, he said.
We need to aggressively promote mediation as it is the best method to resolve cases, he added.

Justice Lokur said that "we expect to effectively introduce mediation system in states by the end of March next and appropriate number of mediators would be provided to them so as to ensure affordable justice to people at the earliest."

He said that the Committee is also looking forward to provide facility of mediation through academies and to train more mediators.
He said that Community Mediation Centres (CMCs) have been set up in nine districts of Delhi which are doing well.
Speaking on the occasion, Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel, Judge Supreme Court said that mediation is effective and it is accepted by all.
This conference is intended to review working of the mediation and sharing of experiences, he said.
He said that the concept of mediation has always been there even during the times of Ramayana and Mahabharata.
Expressing his views on mediation, Justice S J Vazifdar, Acting Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court said that it is a qualitative approach for early disposal and reducing burden on courts.

He said that the concept of mediation was first introduced in 2003-04 in India and people were sceptic to it, but over the years it has changed views of people.
He said that mediation works effectively in cases of family disputes, marriage disputes arising due to ego and differences of perception.
Also, it can work in high stake commercial litigation, he added.