As per the bill, a legal practitioner who meets certain criteria to handle the cases would be authorized to mediate disputes between different parties. A mediator would play the role of a judge and the parties to the dispute need not take the case to the court of law.
“Settlement of disputes through mediation would not only reduce the workload in courts but also reduce the time and cost of the justice seekers,” said Law and Justice Minister Prem Bahadur Singh. The bill will be sent to parliament after it is approved by the cabinet bill committee. The bill would come into effect after parliament approves it.
Law and Justice Secretary Madhav Paudel said settlement of disputes through mediation would create a win-win situation for parties to the dispute. “It will also end the possibility of future dispute as both of the parties would feel equally treated.”
The need for mediation was felt due to courts´ failure to settle the cases on time. “There are many complaints regarding delay in the settlement of disputes, said Minister Singh, adding, “The proposed Act will address those complaints.”
The court officials said the bill should be implemented as soon as possible. “The bill will help enhance common people´s access to justice and timely and effective settlement of disputes outside the court,” said Registrar of the Supreme Court Ram Krishana Timalsina, who headed the Mediation bill drafting committee. An estimated 10,000 cases are pending in Supreme Court alone.
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