New Delhi, June 9: Emphasising the growing importance of alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant has said that mediation has evolved from merely an alternative to becoming an essential tool for achieving timely, amicable, and sustainable settlement of disputes.
Addressing a gathering at the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom on Monday, Justice Kant delivered a lecture titled“Mediation, Arbitration and the Courts: Converging Trends in the Indian and English Approaches in Commercial Dispute Resolution.”
Highlighting the challenges confronting international arbitration, the CJI observed that the process is increasingly encountering procedural complexities and delays. In this context, he underscored the need to strengthen mediation as a more efficient and collaborative means of resolving conflicts.
Calling for a paradigm shift in how businesses and legal systems handle disputes, Justice Kant remarked that the focus of modern corporations should move beyond selecting a litigation forum.
“The primary question for a modern corporation should no longer be where to litigate, but rather how to resolve,” he said, stressing that effective dispute resolution should prioritise outcomes over adversarial proceedings.
The CJI’s remarks reflect a broader global trend towards promoting mediation and other consensual dispute resolution mechanisms to reduce litigation costs, ease judicial burdens and foster long-term commercial relationships.
