Addressing a seminar on "Mediation: How Important in Today’s Context" at the India International University of Legal Education and Research in South Goa's Sankwale village, the CJI envisioned "multi-door courthouses" across India—centres offering diverse dispute resolution options beyond traditional trials.
He highlighted mediation's cost-effectiveness and win-win outcomes, noting settlements stem purely from mutual consent, without imposed decisions.
The Supreme Court's "Mediation for Nation" campaign, he said, seeks to build awareness among lawyers, judges, and litigants. Greater sensitisation has boosted success rates by over 30% in recent years.
Mediation proves especially effective in commercial disputes, matrimonial matters, motor accident claims, and Section 138 cheque bounce cases, the CJI added. It works for both pending lawsuits and pre-litigation conflicts.
India needs over 2.5 lakh trained mediators to handle demand, Justice Surya Kant stressed.
His remarks underscore efforts to ease India's overburdened courts, where millions of cases linger. By promoting alternatives, the judiciary aims to deliver faster, amicable justice while preserving relationships.
As mediation gains traction, the push for multi-door systems signals a broader cultural transformation in dispute resolution.
