Overview
The Ministry of Law and Justice is intensifying the use of alternate dispute resolution (ADR) to reduce court backlog. It is doing this through statutory mandates, capacity‑building programmes and a nationwide network of mediation centres.
Key Developments
- Section 12A of the Commercial Courts Act, 2015 makes PIMS compulsory for specified commercial cases.
- The Mediation Act, 2023 establishes the Mediation Council of India and empowers community‑level dispute resolution.
- National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) is strengthening ADR infrastructure, empanelling and training mediators, and promoting pre‑litigation and community mediation.
- A national mediation conference was held in March 2025 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, jointly organised by the Attorney General, the Department of Legal Affairs and the India International Arbitration Centre.
- Advanced commercial mediation training programmes were conducted at the Supreme Court in Oct 2024 and Mar 2025, training senior lawyers and judges.
Important Facts
As of March 2026, India has 452 ADR Centres and 1,394 Mediation Centres. A total of 4,681 judicial officers, 10,124 lawyers and 753 other professionals have been trained as mediators. Funding for mediation activities flows from the central government to the MCPC via NALSA.
Exam Relevance
Understanding the push for ADR is vital for GS II (Polity) and GS III (Governance & Social Justice). Questions may ask about the constitutional basis for ADR, the impact of the Commercial Courts Act on judicial efficiency, or the role of bodies like NALSA in enhancing access to justice. The statistics on centres and trained mediators illustrate the scale of implementation, a typical data‑point for answer‑writing.
Way Forward
To consolidate gains, the government could:
- Expand ADR Centres in remote districts and integrate them with e‑court services.
- Mandate periodic refresher courses for trained mediators to maintain quality.
- Link mediation outcomes with the National Judicial Data Grid for transparent reporting.
- Encourage private sector participation through incentives for corporate mediation cells.
These steps would deepen the culture of amicable settlement and further de‑congest Indian courts.