Indian Institute Of Arbitration & Mediation Celebrate ODR Day: “Redefining ADR: New Opportunities For Justice And Innovation”

The conference started with the inaugural session, where the concept of the projects that were to be launched, viz., “Peacegate”, the AI powered digital ODR platform, “Gateway to Justice” (G2J), the unique collaboration of law schools and IIAM making colleges as Justice Delivery Centres, “Mediator's Council of India” (MeCI), a pan India movement of mediators, “India International Centre for Advanced ADR Research” (IICAAR). The global research initiative on ADR, were introduced by Mr. Anil Xavier, President of IIAM. It followed by the key note addresses by Mr. Rajeev Mani, Secretary, Ministry of Law & Justice and Mr. Chetan Sharma, Additional Solicitor General of India. The inaugural address was given by Justice Surya Kant, Judge, Supreme Court of India and the new initiatives were officially launched.

Justice Kant highlighted the need for access to justice through technology and emphasized the support and participation of institutions like IIAM and the involvement of law schools through the concept of Gateway to Justice.

The inaugural ceremony was followed by a Panel discussion on “Streamlining Arbitration: Reforms for Enhancing Efficiency and Effectiveness”. Justice K.V. Viswanathan, Judge Supreme Court of India chaired the Panel and gave his comments and kept the topic engaging. The other eminent personalities like Mr. Tejas Karia, Partner & Head of Arbitration, Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas, Mr. Sidharth Sethi, AOR, Supreme Court of India and Partner JSA, Mr. Amit George, Advocate, Delhi High Court, Mr. Mohit Dubey, Deputy Director, Ministry of Defence and Ms. Iram Majid, Director IIAM (Moderator) explored about the reforms needed to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of arbitration in India. The discussion featured insights on the newly drafted Arbitration and Conciliation (Amendment) Bill, 2024, and the recently delivered CORE judgment by the Supreme Court of India. The discussion was also focused on use of technology in expediting arbitration processes and the need for robust frameworks to ensure neutrality and fairness.

The second Panel discussion was on “Mediation as a Tool for Social Justice: How the Mediation Act and Global Standards are Empowering Communities”. This session delved into the role of The Mediation Act, 2023 and gave the understanding of the existence of mediation in India. The session was chaired by Justice Anish Dayal, Judge, Delhi High court and the speakers included Mr. J.P. Sengh, Senior Advocate & Mediator, Delhi High Court, Mr. Ajit Mishra, Mediator & General Manager, Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Ltd., Mr. Avnit Singh Arora, Director, Ministry of Law and Justice, Ms. Manini Brar, Independent Practitioner/Arbitrator, Abridge Chambers and Ms. Iram Majid, Director, IIAM (Moderator). The session highlighted the need to widen the scope and ambit of mediation to other specialized industries as well and gave compelling examples of the role of mediation in resolving conflicts and fostering social and business harmony.

The conference was also highlighted by the signing of Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with law schools on the “Gateway to Justice” movement. MOUs were signed by Central Law College, Salem, Alliance School of Law, Bangalore, Lloyd Law College, Noida, School of Law Manav Rachna University, Haryana, GD Goenka University, Gurugram and School of Law Christ, Pune. This project will transform law schools into hubs for accessible dispute resolution while providing students and young lawyers with practical exposure to ADR practices.

The conference also had a demo session of “Peacegate” the AI-powered ODR platform for negotiation, mediation, and arbitration. The live demo showcased its innovative features making access to justice easy and affordable, and also how a new justice system could work at the speed of technology, enabling fast and fair resolutions anywhere within the reach of the internet. It also displayed how mediators and arbitrators could conduct the process with minimal errors and with high efficiency. The demo also showcased "Peegee," the AI humanbot guiding users to analyse their dispute and avail the best model of dispute resolution method.

ODR Day 2024 marked a significant milestone in redefining the future of dispute resolution in India. The launch of groundbreaking initiatives demonstrated its commitment to leveraging technology and fostering innovation in ADR and ODR practices.