Call for changing mindset on ADR

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, APRIL 28. Mr. Justice M. Jagannadha Rao, Vice- Chairman, Law Commission, on Saturday said arbitration as an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanism would gain public acceptance and become popular only if it is expeditious and less expensive than the regular court system.

Delivering a key note address at the one-day seminar on "Arbitration and Conciliation", Mr. Jagannadha Rao called for changing the mindset on ADR, efforts on enhancing the awareness level of the people and training lawyers in selecting the appropriate ADR methods. He pointed out that in some of the Western countries, a majority of the cases were resolved through ADR mode. The seminar is organised by the Hyderabad Institute of Legal and Developmental Studies and A P Legal Services.

Mr. Rao also advocated ADR's use in family disputes and opening of more number of matrimonial counselling centres to bring about conciliation in the early stage of discord.

Inaugurating the seminar, the Chief Justice of the High Court, Mr. Satyabrata Sinha, said the importance of ADR had gone up with the traditional court-assisted justice delivery system unable to render quick justice owing to technicalities, docket explosion, lack of infrastructure and inadequate judicial officers.

Mr. Sinha wanted academic audit of the functioning of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act of 1996, whether it has fulfilled the objectives and if not, changes which are to be brought about. He also highlighted some of the interpretation problems that have come up before the High Court regarding allotment of arbitrators under Section 4 of the Act.

Prof. V. Nageswara Rao, Senate Advisory Board Member, AP Legal Services, stressed on ADR working in tandem with the court- assisted justice delivery system.

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