Mediation Simplifies Commercial Disputes: DLSA Chairman

Rapid Summary

• A 40-hour mediation training program began in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, under the directives of the Supreme Court Mediation and Conciliation Project Committee (MCPC) and the State Legal Services Authority.
• Organised by Guntur District Legal Services Authority (DLSA),the programme is focused on enhancing mediation skills for Permanent Lok Adalat for Public Utility Services (PLAPUS) chairpersons and selected members of Andhra Pradesh High Court.
• The event was inaugurated by District Principal Judge & DLSA Chairman B. Sai Kalyan Chakravarthi alongside DLSA Secretary Syed Ziyauddin.
• Senior trainers, advocate Ratna tara and advocate S. Sathya Rao from Tamil nadu, are conducting the sessions until August 1.
• Justice Chakravarthi highlighted that mediation efforts in Andhra Pradesh currently face legal and procedural challenges but noted that commercial disputes are more easily mediated compared to property or matrimonial cases.
• Twenty PLAPUS representatives from multiple districts participated on Day 1.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The Supreme Court’s initiative to strengthen mediation practices represents a progressive step in addressing long-standing inefficiencies within India’s alternative dispute resolution mechanisms. By focusing on skill enhancement for PLAPUS officials across districts in Andhra Pradesh,this programme has the potential to improve access to quick resolutions in public utility disputes-a critical area given their impact on citizens’ daily lives.

Justice Chakravarthi’s observations regarding challenges faced by mediation processes indicate systemic hurdles that require attention at policy levels. Emphasising commercial dispute resolution as an early-stage success suggests prioritisation could yield measurable progress. Though, expanding effective training beyond initial participants might potentially be key to achieving large-scale impact across diverse categories like matrimonial conflicts or property disputes.

For India’s broader judicial landscape facing mounting case backlogs, bolstering alternative dispute mechanisms like mediation could serve as a complementary solution-aligning with national goals for efficient justice delivery.

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