CJI Surya Kant Calls for National Registry of Former Judges for ADR; Backs Mediation as Justice Gateway
Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant called for a structured national registry of former judges willing to serve in Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms including mediation, Lok Adalats, arbitration, and conciliation. He said: 'For millions of Indians, ADR is not the back door to justice — it is the only door.' The call is significant as India's courts face a backlog of 50+ million cases. ADR mechanisms have been gaining traction following the enactment of the Mediation Act, 2023 by Parliament.
Key Facts & Details
7 points- 1CJI Surya Kant calls for national registry of former judges for ADR roles
- 2ADR mechanisms include mediation, Lok Adalats, arbitration, and conciliation
- 3India has 50+ million pending cases; ADR seen as key to reducing burden
Deep Dive
- +The Mediation Act, 2023 was passed by Parliament to institutionalise mediation in India
- +Lok Adalats are established under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987
- +Awards of Lok Adalats are deemed decrees of civil courts — not appealable
- +NALSA (National Legal Services Authority) coordinates legal aid and Lok Adalats
Exam Focus
Likely MCQ: Awards of Lok Adalats are deemed decrees of? → Answer: Civil Courts (not appealable)
Related Topics
Exam Relevance & Angle
Polity & Governance: Judiciary, ADR, Lok Adalats, and access to justice.
Target Exams
Background & Context
Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) refers to methods of resolving disputes outside traditional courts:
- Mediation: Neutral third party facilitates negotiated settlement
- Arbitration: Neutral arbitrator gives binding decision
- Conciliation: Conciliator actively proposes solutions
- Lok Adalats: 'People's Courts' — voluntary settlement with legal validity
Lok Adalats are established under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987. Key features:
- Awards are deemed decrees of Civil Courts — final and binding
- Not appealable in any court
- No court fees — refunded if case was already filed
- NALSA (National Legal Services Authority) coordinates at national level
Mediation Act, 2023: India's first standalone mediation law, mandating pre-litigation mediation in commercial disputes and creating a framework for online mediation.
India's judicial backlog: ~50 million pending cases across all courts. The Supreme Court has ~70,000, High Courts ~6 million, District Courts ~43 million. ADR is seen as essential to address this.
Related GK Concepts
Must KnowTest Yourself
1 / 3Lok Adalats are established under which Act?
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