Bhubaneswar: Chief Justice of India (CJI) BR Gavai is scheduled to inaugurate the second National Mediation Conference in Bhubaneswar September 27, Odisha Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan said Thursday.
Mediation is an alternative form of dispute resolution where an attempt is made to resolve differences between parties outside of the formal court system.
Addressing a press conference here, Harichandan said the two-day conference is being held with the objective of enriching the dialogue on mediation while empowering practitioners and citizens with the knowledge and skills to harness its full potential.
Apart from the CJI, several senior judges of the Supreme Court, chief justices and judges of different high courts, vice-chancellors of law universities, top officials from renowned law firms and other stakeholders are expected to participate in the event, he said.
“This conference of top-level intellectuals will show a path of mediation to the country,” the minister said.
Advocate General of Odisha, Pitambar Acharya, who was also present in the meeting, said the event will be inaugurated by CJI Saturday, around 6.30 pm in presence of Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, and other dignitaries.
“Our Country has an age-old tradition of resolving differences through dialogue. Long before formal courts, our villages had panchayats where elders helped people reach fair settlements. Mediation offers a meaningful and human-centric approach,” Acharya said.
“It is a vibrant movement deeply rooted in the civilizational ethos of dialogue, harmony, and reconciliation. Together, these endeavours promise a justice system that is more responsive and inclusive,” said the advocate general.
On the second day of the conference, five interactive technical sessions will be organised from 10 am to 4 pm, which shall be chaired and co-chaired by the judges of the Supreme Court with participation from chief justices and judges of various high courts, additional solicitor general, advocate generals of several states, Acharya said.
The first National Mediation Conference was held in New Delhi last year. As per the declaration there, Odisha would host the second such workshop to spread the philosophy of mediation throughout the country, he said.
PTI
