President Murmu and CJI Khanna called mediation a wiser form of justice, urging its use to ease court burdens. They emphasized its role in restoring relationships and promoting faster, deeper conflict resolution.
President Murmu and CJI Khanna Emphasize Importance of Mediation in India’s Justice System at First National Mediation Conference
On Saturday, May 3, 2025, President Droupadi Murmu and Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna spoke strongly in support of using mediation to settle disputes in the country.
They said that mediation helps reduce the pressure on Indian courts and also improves both the “ease of doing business” and the “ease of living” in society.
They made it clear that mediation is not a weaker form of justice, but in fact a smarter and more thoughtful way of delivering it.
Speaking at the launch of the first-ever National Mediation Conference, organized by the Mediation Association of India (MIA), President Murmu said that India has a “long and rich tradition” of solving problems through out-of-court settlements.
She pointed out that this tradition was very common in Indian society in earlier times but was ignored by colonial rulers who brought in a foreign legal system.
She said,
“The colonial rulers ‘unfortunately’ ignored this exemplary legacy when they imposed an alien legal system.”
President Murmu also highlighted the importance of making mediation available in rural areas. She said that the Mediation Act should be used in such a way that panchayats in villages are legally allowed to solve local disputes.
She added that social harmony in villages is very important for the overall strength of the country.
She said,
“Social harmony in villages was an essential prerequisite of making the nation strong.”
She spoke about the Mediation Act, 2023, and called it a strong first step towards reviving India’s age-old tradition of mediation.
According to her, this law fixed many problems in the system and now it was time to spread awareness and strengthen its implementation.
She said,
“The Mediation Act, 2023 was the first step in consolidating the civilisational legacy and now it was the right time to add momentum to it and strengthen its practice.”
She also added,
“Mediation is an essential part of the delivery of justice, which is at the heart of the Constitution of India — our founding text. Mediation can speed up the delivery of justice not only in the specific case under consideration, but also in other cases, by reducing the burden on courts of a large number of litigations. It can make the overall judicial system much more efficient.”
Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna, speaking to a gathering of Chief Justices of various High Courts and Solicitor Generals from across the States, emphasized the value of mediation.
He said that people need to understand that mediation is not a “lesser” form of justice, but actually a “wise” one.
He shared a unique comparison and said,
“Adjudication was often to a dispute and parties, what most medicines were to an ailment — they treat the symptoms and provide relief, which makes us feel better.”
He added,
“Courtroom litigation is somewhat similar. One party is right, the other is wrong. In this way, courtroom litigation and adjudication are grim and shallow. At times, the root cause remains unaddressed, and the ailment and pain remain. The relationships are strained, if not broken. There is a winner, there is a loser.”
Explaining how mediation works better in many cases, he said,
“Mediation heals and restores the relationship. This is true justice. Not coerced and forced by a third person’s dictate.”
According to CJI Khanna, mediation goes deep into the reasons behind a dispute and tries to find a solution that is acceptable to everyone. It not only fixes the legal issue but also repairs relationships.
Sharing some important statistics, CJI Khanna said that between 2016 and early 2025, more than 7.57 lakh cases were successfully resolved through mediation in India.
But he also mentioned that this form of justice still has not reached most homes and villages.
He said,
“India has been slow to arrive to mediation’s shore and understand its importance. Our goal must be to show every litigant, every businessperson, every citizen that mediation is not a lesser form of justice, but a wiser form of it.”
Justice B.R. Gavai, who will soon take charge as the next Chief Justice of India, also gave his views at the conference.
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He said that law schools should not just teach theory, but must also include practical training on mediation.
He said law students should learn skills like emotional intelligence and active listening, which are necessary to become good mediators.
He said,
“Legal education should prepare students to rise beyond from arguing cases but to understand the conflict and help resolve disputes in a manner that preserves relationships and dignity.”
Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta were also present at the event. Mr. Mehta highlighted how important mediation is as a part of justice in today’s time.
Attorney General of India, Mr. R. Venkataramani, who had envisioned this conference, thanked everyone who attended and said that this was just a small beginning.
He said he hoped to see India become a world leader in mediation.
He said,
“The conference was a small beginning and he wished to see the day when India would soon be the headquarters of a Global Mediation Association.”
This first National Mediation Conference marks a major moment in India’s legal journey, where ancient values meet modern law to make justice quicker, more peaceful, and more humane.
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