Delhi govt to set up mediation centres for settling disputes

With trial courts in the city reeling under the burden of over 12 lakh cases, the Delhi govt has decided to set up ten mediation centres to settle disputes relating to land, cheque bouncing and family matters.

The city government will appoint retired judges and prominent lawyers as judges of the mediation centres which are being set up under the mechanism of alternative dispute resolution.

"The mediation centres will come up in all the districts in the city. They are being set up to take up cases like land disputes, cheque bouncing and marital disputes," Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said elaborating on the decision taken at a cabinet meeting.

The five district courts in Delhi are reeling under the burden of 12,02,130 cases with those relating to dishonouring of cheques alone amounting to 5,08,660, according to official data.

There has been a 68 percent rise in the pendency of cases since 2007 in the lower courts in the city posing stiff challenge in the battle to reduce the arrears.

The city government has been regularly holding evening courts, Lok Adalats and promoting alternate dispute redressal mechanism in the form of arbitration and conciliation.

Officials said the mediation centres will be functional very soon as the process has already been started for appointing the judges and other staff.

They said the decision has been taken after taking into consideration increasing volume of cases in the city courts.

The government will also appoint renowned lawyers and retired police officials to help the mediation centres dispose of the cases in a specific time frame.

The city government had last month set up nine tribunals to address grievances of senior citizens relating to their well-being.