PUNJAB legal services authority organises colloquium on mediation

Chandigarh, July 13, 2013: The Punjab Legal Services Authority, today, organised a Colloquium on Mediation in the Chandigarh Judicial Academy, Chandigarh which was inaugurated by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul, Chief Justice, Punjab and Haryana High Court and Patron-in-Chief, Punjab Legal Services Authority.

Justice A.K. Sikri, Judge, Supreme Court of India, graced the occasion.

The purpose of the Mediation Colloquium was a step   towards the reduction in the huge pendency of cases by sensitising both the Bench and the Bar, where, Mediation Centers have already been functioning.  In all, 150 Judicial Officers and 250 Advocates, from 12 Districts and various Sub-Divisions were sensitised as to how effectively to resort to Alternative Dispute Redressal through Mediation and so as to reduce the burden on the courts. It may be recounted that this was the first ever such exercise undertaken at this large scale to impress upon the Advocates to utilise their skills as Mediators and also the Judicial Officers so as to help effectively to reduce the backlog of cases and to assist the fresh litigation wherever the same can be nipped in the bud in the form of resolving pre-litigation cases through amicable settlement.

Speaking on the occasion, Justice A.K. Sikri, Judge, Supreme Court of India, shared meaningful illustrations and impressed upon the need to adopt this noble forum of disputes redressal as a sacred duty.

Chief Justice, Punjab and Haryana High Court highlighted the benefits of Alternative Dispute Redressal Mechanism and especially the Mediation in an impressive manner and strictly directing the Judicial Officers across the State to compulsorily invoke provisions pertaining to ideas in each and every case, as their pious duty.

Justice Jasbir Singh, Judge, Punjab and Haryana High Court and Executive Chairman, Punjab Legal Services Authority, Justice S.K. Mittal, Judge, Punjab and Haryana High Court and Executive Chairman, Haryana State Legal Services Authority and Justice Hemant Gupta, Judge, Punjab and Haryana High Court and Executive Chairman, State Legal Services Authority, U.T. Chandigarh also shared their valuable views regarding the efficacy of ADR System and impressed upon the Advocates to contribute their skills in this  Mediation process in the larger public interest of the entire  Nation.

The Colloquium was consisting of two Sessions , Chaired by Justice K. Kannan, Judge, Punjab and Haryana High Court and Justice Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia, Judge, Punjab and Haryana High Court.   Asha Menon, Member Secretary, National Legal Services Authority, New Delhi, J.P. Singh, Senior Advocate, Delhi High Court, Sudhanshu Batra and Dr. Sudhir Jain, Judge In-charge, Delhi Mediation Centre (all the Panelists) apprised the delegates about the mechanism of Mediation Process and effective implementation thereof through reconciliation/mediation.  The significant Colloquium was also attended by a large number of Judges of Punjab and Haryana High Court and other dignitaries.  This Colloquium was unique exercise and first of its kind to sensitize the Advocates towards their pious duty of contributing towards mechanism.  This Colloquium  evoked a very good response from  the delegates  and is being considered  to be very significant in more than one way,  as it is now not hidden fact that the mantra of arresting  huge pendency of cases  lies  in ADR  System,  which also  includes Mediation.

The Colloquium ended with a vote of thanks.