Jharkhand Takes The Lead In Resolving Cases Through Expert Mediators

In a pioneering step, the Jharkhand State Legal Service Authority (JHALSA) has formed a strong team of expert mediators comprising people from various fields, including administration, medical, education and business, to resolve pending court cases.

The Mediation and Conciliation Project Committee (MCPC), a unit formed by Supreme Court, has framed a rule which states experts or professionals with at least 15 years’ experience standing, retired senior bureaucrat and retired executives could be trained as expert mediators.

JHALSA is the first unit in country to form a team of expert mediators. Recently, it also became the leading organisation to induct the second batch of mediators, raising their strength in state to 39.

The new batch consists of 22 persons, including former chief post master general, retired principal chief conservator of forest, former chairman of state women commission and retired professor. They are undergoing a 40-hour training course in Ranchi.

While inaugurating the training programme on Sunday, MCPC chairman and Supreme Court judge Justice Madan B Lokur said Jharkhand had taken a lead in building a team of expert mediators. He hoped that soon they would train mediators in other parts of the country.

Acting Chief Justice of Jharkhand High Court and executive chairman of JHALSA, Justice DN Patel said, “Our experiment of appointing expert mediators has been successful. We have chosen the second batch after interviewing people from all walks of life. The selection process lasted for two months.”

The JHALSA, headed by Justice Patel, had appointed the first batch of expert mediators in April 2016. The group comprising former chief secretary, doctors, educationists, engineers and businessmen had a very high success rate in resolving disputes. Five of them settled over 50 cases within a year.

The JHALSA requested the MCPC for permitting the second batch of expert mediators, which was accepted.