Jaipur, August 1: Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant on Saturday called for greater use of mediation in the justice delivery system, saying timely, accessible and dignified justice should remain the primary objective of the rule of law rather than the adjudication of every dispute.
Addressing the Commonwealth Peace Mediation Conference in Jaipur, the CJI said the justice system should focus on delivering outcomes that are efficient, humane and accessible to all sections of society.
“The Rule of Law does not demand that every grievance be adjudicated. It demands that every citizen has timely, accessible and dignified access to justice,” he said.
Emphasising the advantages of mediation, Surya Kant said it empowers disputing parties to craft their own solutions instead of relying solely on adversarial legal proceedings.
“Mediation allows the parties themselves to author their own resolution, addressing the real causes of conflict at a pace and cost proportionate to the dispute,” he said.
The Chief Justice noted that mediation encourages parties to move beyond rigid legal positions and arrive at practical solutions, particularly in disputes where preserving relationships is important.
He also highlighted the philosophical and practical value of mediation, saying such mechanisms reflect both India’s long standing traditions of dispute resolution and the evolving needs of modern legal systems.
Expressing confidence in the future of mediation, Surya Kant said it would play an increasingly important role as courts deal with growing caseloads and more complex disputes.
Describing its enduring relevance, he remarked that mediation is “a tradition as old as our ancient heritage and as urgent as Monday morning’s docket.”
The CJI concluded his address by expressing hope that the conference would contribute to strengthening mediation as an effective and widely accepted method of dispute resolution.
