Durg District Court Takes Mediation 3.0 To Campus, Organises Student Mediation Competition
The District and Sessions Court, Durg, in association with the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), Durg, organised a Student Mediation Competition at Bharati University, Durg, under the theme “Taking Mediation to the Roots Through Campus-Based Mediation Competitions – An Initiative under Mediation 3.0 Drive.”
The initiative seeks to introduce students to mediation and consensual dispute resolution before disputes reach the courtroom. It is part of the broader vision of Justice Ramesh Sinha, Chief Justice of the High Court of Chhattisgarh, to strengthen mediation as an integral part of justice delivery, with institutional guidance from Justice P.P. Sahu.
The competition featured two simulated disputes. One involved neighbouring families divided over the construction of a window, with one side seeking light and ventilation for an elderly mother and the other raising privacy and security concerns. The second concerned two brothers' dispute over their late father's family business, with one seeking his share to meet his daughter's higher education expenses while both wished to preserve the business.
The propositions encouraged students to identify the interests underlying the parties' stated positions, highlighting the importance of communication, empathy, negotiation and creative problem-solving in mediation.
The programme also emphasised that mediation should not be viewed merely as a tool for reducing judicial pendency, but as a means of promoting access to justice and preserving relationships where appropriate. The Mediation Act, 2023 and Article 39A of the Constitution were highlighted in this broader context.
The programme was attended by Shri Anish Dubey, District and Additional Sessions Judge, Durg; Smt. Sushma Lakra, Chairman, Permanent Lok Adalat, Durg; Shri Bhupesh Kumar Basant, Chief Judicial Magistrate, Durg; Shri Umesh Kumar Bhagwatkar, Secretary, DLSA, Durg; Smt. Kamini Jaiswal, Civil Judge (Senior Division), Durg; and Smt. Aishwarya Diwan, Civil Judge (Junior Division), Durg.
Shri K. Vinod Kujur, Principal District and Sessions Judge and Chairman, DLSA, Durg, has been guiding the implementation of the initiative at the district level.
The initiative seeks to take mediation from courtrooms to campuses and, progressively, to communities, with the objective of building greater awareness and acceptance of dialogue-based dispute resolution at the grassroots level.