New avatar for cops: mediators

Talking to The Indian Express,Chief Justice Mukul Mudgal of the high court said that to provide speedy and effective justice to litigants,psychologists,social activists and policemen will be trained to act as mediators. “The idea is to put an end to a dispute and provide a final solution,” the chief justice said.

On the other hand,Justice M M Kumar,chairman of the Mediation and Conciliation Committee,said mediation will also bring a transformation in the personalities of policemen.

Justice Mahesh Grover highlighted the advantages of mediation and conciliation,a cost effective alternative disputes redressal mechanism. Earlier,during the second phase of the Mediation Training Programme held at the Judicial Academy,high court judges were at their poetic best.

Justice Jasbir Singh was the centre of attraction as he recited a few poems and couplets in Hindi to highlight the significance of mediation.

Justice M M Kumar also recited a poem in Punjabi to teach the art of mediation and its advantages.

High court judges shared their experiences and answered queries raised during the workshop. Advocates were also trained to act as mediators.

Speaking on the occasion,Justice M M Kumar said the committee has started a project as per which,as and when a case is reported in the Women Cell,the couple will be invited to the mediation centre and before the registration of the FIR,efforts will be made to solve the problems through mediation.

In his address,Justice Sanjay Kishen Kaul,chairman,Overseeing Committee,Delhi High Court Mediation and Conciliation Centre,said that it is something new which has been introduced with the assistance of lawyers of Punjab and Haryana.

Till now,only judges have been deciding cases of mediation and conciliation in the districts of Punjab and Haryana.

Addressing the gathering,Justice Reva Kheterpal from the Delhi High Court shared her views with the participants regarding matrimonial mediation and pointed out various types of matrimonial problems and the challenges that one has to face in settling such disputes. One of the sessions was chaired by Justice Permod Kohli. “A mediator should be consistent in his gestures to both parties.

He or she should avoid getting overly drawn into the emotions of the story they are learning,” he said.