Calling for lawyers to be open to the setting up of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) centres in the state, Punjab and Haryana high court chief justice AK Sikri has assured lawyers that mediation will not impact their earnings.
Delivering a speech in Punjabi after laying the foundation stone an ADR centre at the judicial complex Bathinda (JCB), he said: “It is a wrong perception that mediation will hurt the earning of the lawyers. In fact, ADR centres will provide you (the lawyers) an opportunity for the new kind of practice called mediation. It will not only add to your earnings, but also give you mental satisfaction.”
“Sometimes, a court verdict can also be wrong. This is why we have provision to appeal against the verdict of lower courts. It is not necessary that Supreme Court is always right. Justice delivered by court may not satisfy both parties. Mediation provides us an opportunity where we can provide complete justice to both sides.”
Citing a case of divorces couple, justice Sikri said, “I know a couple that was separated in court. Now they were just fighting for the divide of the financial assets when they reached mediation centre. You will not imagine but 30 minutes in mediation center bring them enough close that they remarried and now happily living. “Mediation is a new shoe that may pinch you for the time it is brand new. However, it gets comforting over time”
{{/usCountry}}Citing a case of divorces couple, justice Sikri said, “I know a couple that was separated in court. Now they were just fighting for the divide of the financial assets when they reached mediation centre. You will not imagine but 30 minutes in mediation center bring them enough close that they remarried and now happily living. “Mediation is a new shoe that may pinch you for the time it is brand new. However, it gets comforting over time”
{{/usCountry}}Punjab Legal Services Authority executive chairman Justice Jasbir Singh said, “We are just not making buildings of judicial complexes all over the state. We should take these buildings as temple of justice. We should not work only for just fee or salary. We should get involved into this judicial process so that we should provide people absolute justice.”
District and session Judge Jaspal Singh read the welcome address for the guest. Chairman of the Building Committee of Punjab justice Ranjit Singh, administrative judge Bathinda sessions division justice Rakesh Kumar Jain, justice Rajesh Bindal, justice KC Puri, justice R K Garg, justice Jaswant singh, justice Rameshwar Singh Malik, justice Rekha Mittal.