The National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) and the Mediation and Conciliation Project Committee (MCPC), acting under the guidance of the Supreme Court, recently concluded a highly effective 90-day ‘Special Mediation Campaign’ across the nation on October 6.
In Karnataka alone, the State Legal Services Authority reported that a remarkable 46,676 cases were brought forward for mediation during this campaign. Out of these, 5,524 disputes were successfully resolved, providing timely justice to many. While 25,696 cases are still awaiting resolution, mediation efforts are actively continuing for 15,456 cases at various centers throughout the state.
Locally, the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) and Taluk Legal Services Committees in Mandya district were instrumental in implementing this initiative. From a total of 48,932 cases in district and taluk courts, 2,595 suitable cases were identified and referred for the mediation process. Of the 2,121 cases that entered mediation, an impressive 63 were successfully settled. These included a variety of disputes: 15 marital disagreements, one domestic violence case, 22 cheque bounce incidents, 13 partition disputes, and 12 other miscellaneous matters, as announced in a press release.
According to Anand, the member-secretary of the DLSA, 1,602 cases in Mandya still require resolution, with 930 cases actively undergoing the mediation process.
This campaign was initially conceived by NALSA and MCPC with the primary objective of alleviating the burden of pending cases and offering accessible, efficient pathways to justice.