New Delhi, February 16 Supreme Court Judge Justice Vikram Nath inaugurated the National Legal Services Authority's project aimed at strengthening grassroots dispute resolution and reducing litigation in rural India on Monday.
The initiative, titled "Community Mediation: Towards a Litigation-Free Rural India," was launched in collaboration with the Uttar Pradesh State Legal Services Authority and the Baghpat District Legal Services Authority.
Justice Nath, also the Executive Chairman of NALSA, inaugurated the project in the presence of officials from NALSA, the Uttar Pradesh State Legal Services Authority (UPSLSA), and others.
According to Justice Nath, the long-term objective of the initiative is to build socially resilient rural communities capable of resolving disputes at an early stage, thereby fostering harmony and reducing the burden on courts.
As part of the initiative, six villages in the Baghpat district have been identified for pilot implementation.
Justice Nath, while speaking at the event, said that many local disputes, including family disagreements, neighborhood conflicts, and land-related issues, can be resolved more effectively through structured community dialogue rather than prolonged adversarial litigation.
While highlighting the statutory recognition of mediation, the top court judge said that the community mediation seeks to revive the nation's long-standing tradition of resolving disputes through collective wisdom, while ensuring confidentiality, neutrality, and fairness under modern legal safeguards.
Detailing the initiative, he said that NALSA and the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) will identify and train members of the local community, including retired teachers, elders, social workers, and other public-spirited individuals, in skills such as negotiation, active listening, and impartial facilitation.
"These trained mediators will act as a bridge between the formal legal system and community-level relationships," he said.
The National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) is a statutory body established to fulfill the mandate of Article 39A of the Constitution to ensure equal opportunity and access to justice.