'In ADR, warring parties become partners in solution'

Courts should facilitate a vibrant ecosystem for Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), mediation and conciliation process, Supreme Court Judge Justice S Abdul Nazeer said.

He was speaking after inaugurating the Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry Alternative Dispute Resolution (KCCI ADR) at KCCI Hall in Bunder on Saturday.

Justice Nazeer said, “Whenever there is a dispute, we must look for solution. There is always a difference between winning a case and seeking solution. The ADR offers the warring parties to become partners in solution rather than partners in problems.”

He said one should draw inspiration from Gandhiji, who spent his time in achieving compromise in hundreds of cases during the 20 years of his practice as a lawyer.

Nazeer stressed on the need for the ADR. In a rapidly changing contemporary world, disputes are increasingly complex.

This has placed tremendous pressure on the judicial system and left litigants dissatisfied, he added.

People are now looking for early solutions that can put an end to their differences, so that they can move forward to seize new opportunities and not be held back due to non-clarity about their claims. Thus promoting the ADR remains as a crucial pillar of the judiciary’s goal of cost effective and accessible justice for all.

‘’Private centres such as KCCI ADR centre is a welcome addition to India’s ADR regime,’’ he said.

Centres such as KCCI ADR are also means of increasing access to justice without decreasing the quality of justice.

Justice Nazeer also launched KCCI ADR website and e-library.

Earlier, KCCI President Issac Vas said in 2019 KCCI identified the need for setting up an ADR and the task of setting up the ADR centre was entrusted to Advocate Vivekananda Paniyala.