A 40-hour mediation training programme organised by the Nagaland State Legal Services Authority (NSLSA) under the aegis of the Mediation and Conciliation Project Committee of the Supreme Court of India began at Hotel Japfü on Friday.
Delivering the inaugural address, Mezivolu T Therieh, NJS, Principal District and Sessions Judge, Kohima, and former Registrar of the Supreme Court of India in charge of mediation and legal services, said mediation has become an ongoing movement across the country and highlighted the growing need for trained mediators. She said mediation forms part of the broader alternative dispute resolution mechanism aimed at reducing case backlog and enhancing access to justice, with a strong focus on pre litigation.
Therieh explained that mediation differs from other ADR processes as the mediator plays a crucial role in facilitating dialogue and guiding parties towards negotiation. Sharing her experience, she said cases that have moved across courts and jurisdictions over long periods can sometimes be resolved effectively through mediation, as parties are given autonomy to express differences and arrive at mutually acceptable solutions. She added that becoming a trained mediator has been a life changing experience that transcends professional boundaries.
Highlighting provisions of the Mediation Act, 2023, she said Section 7 empowers courts and tribunals to refer disputes to mediation at any stage. While noting that some provisions are still being implemented, she said the Act would soon be fully functional. “After it is fully implemented, it will be a good professional career for the trained mediators who are not only practicing lawyers, but judges and retired lawyers.”
Therieh also appreciated Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant for launching Mediation 2.0 to promote mediation as a mainstream dispute resolution mechanism. Emphasising the relevance of community mediation in Nagaland, she said customary judges could be trained to resolve disputes in a more organised manner.
Earlier, introducing the programme, Neiko Akami, NJS, Member Secretary of the Nagaland State Legal Services Authority, said the first 90 day nationwide mediation drive last year revealed a shortage of trained mediators in several districts of Nagaland, with concentration mainly in Kohima and Dimapur. To address this gap and extend mediation services across the state, the training programme has been initiated.
The programme was chaired by Kekhrienguno Catherine, panel lawyer, Kohima District Legal Services Authority. A total of 26 learned counsels are participating in the training. The resource persons are Reema Bhandari and Rita Das Mozumdar, senior trainers from the Mediation and Conciliation Project Committee.
MT
