Telangana Mediation Centre Organises 40-Hour Training For Retired Government Officers At Judicial Academy

The programme was conducted under the guidance of Chief Justice of the High Court for the State of Telangana, Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh, Patron-in-Chief of the Telangana State Legal Services Authority.

A total of 96 retired government officers from various departments, including retired judicial officers, IAS, IPS, banking sector and other services, participated in the programme. The training aims to equip participants with mediation skills to resolve disputes pending before courts, at the pre-institution stage, and within community and institutional settings.

Ch. Panchakshari, FAC Director of the Mediation and Arbitration Centre, stated that retired officers possess rich experience, maturity, communication and negotiation skills, and are motivated to continue contributing to society, making them well-suited for mediation roles.

Address by Justice K. Lakshman

Justice K. Lakshman highlighted the growing burden of litigation and emphasised mediation as an effective alternative dispute resolution mechanism. He noted that increasing litigation, diverse legal needs, and population contribute to pendency.

Referring to pendency data (NJDG), he stated:

• Telangana District Courts: 9,83,870 cases

• Telangana High Court: 2,37,564 cases

• District Courts (India): 4,85,65,987 cases

• High Courts: 64,002,434 cases

• Supreme Court: 93,598 cases

He referred to reforms such as Law Commission recommendations, Justice Malimath Committee reforms, CPC Amendments (1999), Commercial Courts Act, 2015, Fast Track Courts and Lok Adalats, noting that pendency continues to rise.

He further highlighted mediation as a solution, referring to the Mediation Act, 2023 and India signing the Singapore Convention, and noted that mediation is voluntary, confidential and promotes pre-litigation settlement.

Justice Lakshman stated that in January 2026, 2,133 cases were referred for mediation with 90 settlements, and in February 2026, 1,480 cases were referred with 128 settlements. He emphasised that trained mediators can resolve disputes at the grassroots level and prevent cases from reaching courts.

Address by Justice Mousumi Bhattacharya

Justice Mousumi Bhattacharya emphasised that mediation is a globally recognised dispute resolution mechanism. She referred to the Ayodhya dispute, where mediation was attempted under the supervision of the Supreme Court with confidentiality safeguards.

She discussed key judicial developments, including Afcons Infrastructure Ltd. v. Cherian Varkey Construction Co. (P) Ltd. (2010), which enabled courts to refer disputes to ADR, and Rupa v. S. Hakeem, which clarified that mediation is a consensual process.

She also noted that mediated settlement agreements under the Mediation Act, 2023 are enforceable and that mediation can be effective in matrimonial disputes. She explained that mediation involves a neutral third party and identified key elements such as identifying core issues, critical issues, and areas of compromise.

Address by Justice P. Sam Koshy

Justice P. Sam Koshy described mediation as an effective, economical and time-saving method of dispute resolution. He explained that it is based on principles such as voluntariness, neutrality, confidentiality and self-determination.

He emphasised that retired officers, due to their experience and administrative insight, are well-equipped to act as mediators and can contribute to reducing litigation and strengthening the justice delivery system.

Inaugural Address by Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh

Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh described the initiative as part of a broader mediation movement involving participants from diverse backgrounds. He termed mediation a meaningful “second innings” for retired officers to continue public service.

He highlighted qualities of a mediator such as patient listening, empathy, persuasiveness and perseverance, and stated that a significant proportion of pending cases can be resolved through mediation. He emphasised that mediation promotes social harmony, reduces litigation, and enables amicable settlement of disputes.

The inaugural session was attended by Justices K. Lakshman, Surepalli Nanda, K. Sarath, J. Sreenivas Rao, Mousumi Bhattacharya, P. Sam Koshy, B. Vijaysen Reddy, Alisetty Laxminarayana and Narsing Rao Nandikonda, Judges of the High Court for the State of Telangana, along with Registrars of the High Court and faculty of the Telangana State Judicial Academy.