Mediation effective way to resolve disputes: Chief Justice Upadhyaya

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:

“Mediation is not an alternative, but an effective and long-lasting way to resolve disputes. The lawyers should take it forward as a movement,” said Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya, the Chief Justice of Bombay High Court.

He was speaking at the regional conference on 'Mediation' organised at Vande Mataram Auditorium of the city on Saturday jointly by the Maharashtra State Legal Services Authority (MSLSA), Main Mediation Monitoring Committee (MMMC), High Court-Bombay, Mediation Monitoring Sub-Committee of HC Bench of Aurangabad and District Legal Services Authority (DLSA).

Chief Justice Upadhyaya said that Justice is delivered in the courts as per the laws while at the mediation centre, parties arrive at a mutable agreement.

“In this, the role of the mediator is not that of 'umpire', both parties are the 'umpire'. They are the ones who resolve disputes between themselves. Mediators only prepare them for this,” he said.

The portal of the Legal Services Authority was also inaugurated.

Executive president of MSLSA Justice Nitin Jamdar, member of the MMMC Justice K R Shriram, chairman of Mediation Monitoring sub-committee-Aurangabad Justice Ravindra Ghuge, its member Justice Mangesh Patil, member secretary of the Legal Services Authority Sameer Adkar and Principal District and Session Judge Vibha Ingle were seated on the dais.

Not only family but also private educational institutions, teachers, industrial sector, division of family wealth, business and many other disputes can be resolved through mediation.

Justice Jamdar urged the judges to send a maximum number of cases for mediation In his concluding remarks, Justice Ghuge said that mediation has been practised in India since ancient times.

“In the Mahabharata, Lord Krishna played the role of 'mediator' between the Pandavas and the Kauravas. Resolving disputes is a skill. Skills can be improved through training,” he said.

He said that the mediator has to carefully prepare the parties for mutual settlement by considering their strengths and weaknesses.

Adkar delivered a welcome speech. Jalna District Judge Jaiswal, Mumbai City Civil Court Judge Abhijit Nandgaonkar and adv Ajit Gholap guided on various topics related to mediation. Justice Shriram and Justice Mangesh Patil also spoke.

Students of M P Law College demonstrated the importance of mediation through 'role play'. DLSA secretary Vaishali Phadnis made efforts for the success of the conference.