Mediation For The Nation: From Conflict To Consensus

From 1 July to 30 September 2025, India will witness a nationwide legal effort unlike any before. Titled Mediation for the Nation, the 90-day campaign will kick off with the Hon’ble Chief Justice of India, B.R. Gavai, and Justice Surya Kant from the Supreme Court leading it. It is being put together by NALSA (National Legal Services Authority) along with the Mediation and Conciliation Project Committee (MCPC).

The vision is simple, but powerful: to resolve long-pending disputes through dialogue instead of litigation, and to take this model of resolution to every corner of the country—from the smallest taluka court to The Hon’ble High Courts.

Legal Framework Supporting Mediation for the Nation Campaign

It reflects a policy shift guided by the Mediation Act, 2023, and reinforces the intent of Section 89 of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, which encourages alternative dispute resolution.

In the first phase of the campaign, courts will tag appropriate matters under a new cause list: “For Referral to the Special Mediation Drive.” Litigants will be notified and, with their consent, referred to qualified mediators empaneled under NALSA or trained by the MCPC.

Case Categories under Mediation for the Nation Campaign

Not every legal issue is suitable for mediation, but a surprising number are. The following types of cases have been listed as eligible for this special drive:

• Family and matrimonial disputes 
• Cheque bounce and minor criminal compoundable matters
• Accident claims, consumer complaints, and service matters
• Commercial conflicts and debt recovery
• Land acquisition, partition, and eviction cases
• Domestic violence cases where mediation is legally permissible

By including these varied categories, the campaign reflects both urgency and sensitivity—especially in cases where relationships are involved.

Execution, Reporting, and Role of Legal Services Authorities in Mediation for the Nation

Mediation will be conducted seven days a week, through physical, online, or hybrid modes, depending on the convenience of parties. The District Legal Services Authorities (DLSAs) will handle the local-level work, with state-wise Mediation Monitoring Committees keeping an eye on things.

To ensure quality and transparency :

• Eight rounds of reporting will be submitted to MCPC between August and September
• A final consolidated report will be submitted by 6 October 2025.

This campaign is also the first structured rollout of community mediators in rural regions i.e. there is an organized program of those who have been formally trained, but who do not live and work within the legal sphere. These will be retired persons, most could be teachers, or other members of the community who are highly valued and whose decisions will be taken as being final before the cases even get to court.

Judicial and Social Impact of Mediation for the Nation

This effort arrives at a time when more than 5 crore cases are stuck in India’s courts. More importantly, it asks a deeper question: Can people be empowered to resolve conflict without waiting for years in litigation?

If successful, the benefits could be transformative:

• Time and cost savings for both litigants and the judiciary
• Eases the load on our crowded courts, especially the trial ones
• Helps people in smaller towns and villages reach justice quicker
• Preservation of relationships, especially in sensitive family matters
• Policy insights through empirical evaluation by National Law Universities and the National Judicial Academy

Conclusion: Mediation for the Nation as a Turning Point in Indian Legal Culture

As a law student, observing this campaign unfold feels like witnessing legal history in motion. For once, the judiciary is not just speaking of reform—it is testing it on the ground. Mediation for the Nation is not only about clearing dockets. It is about restoring trust in the process of justice by making it more human, more accessible, and less adversarial.

BY:

Sneha Awasthi