NEW DELHI, Nov 10:
Calling for alternate methods of dispute settlement as the need of the hour, President Pranab Mukherjee today said only if Alternative Dispute Resolution becomes an integral part of the Indian justice delivery system will the welfare of the common man in India be safe guarded.
Speaking at the inaugural function of the National District Mediation Conference, the President said people should be encouraged to take first recourse to mediation rather than litigation.
Addressing the conference, organised by the Mediation and Conciliation Project Committee of the Supreme Court of India, the President said in this regard the District Courts and Judiciary can and must play a major role.
“They need to be able to convince litigants that mediation offers benefits with a human touch. It has no winners or losers. It has no limitations or restrictions. It is a pragmatic and flexible path that is in the interest of everyone involved,” the President said.
Justice Altamas Kabir, Chief Justice of Supreme Court of India, and External Affairs minister Salman Khurshid also participated in the function.
(UNI)