Shillong, Nov 4: Mediation heals relationships where litigation divides them, Meghalaya High Court Chief Justice Revati Mohite Dere said.
Inaugurating a 40-hour mediation training on ‘Concepts and Techniques of Mediation’, Justice Dere said mediation gives people control over their own disputes, instead of leaving the outcome to a long, costly and unpredictable court battle.
“Mediation fosters dialogue, understanding and empathy. Its true strength lies not in force, but in dialogue that heals and restores relationships,” she said.
To drive the point home, she cited two brothers fighting over an orange. A court could only divide it. A mediator, by asking what each brother actually needed, could find a solution that satisfied both.
That, she said, is why mediation works best in family, matrimonial and civil disputes. It saves relationships, saves time, and ends prolonged litigation.
A good mediator, she stressed, needs patience, persistence, impartiality, an open mind, and the right words at the right time. No party should walk away feeling disadvantaged.
Mediation, she added, is less confrontational, flexible, confidential, cheaper and faster. It works for business disputes, workplace conflicts, inheritance, matrimonial matters, and even fights between neighbours and communities.
On matrimonial strain, Justice Dere said communication is the missing link. Mediation helps couples find closure and look ahead, instead of staying locked in conflict.
She reminded participants that mediation rests on four pillars — voluntary participation, confidentiality, neutrality and mutual understanding — and urged mediators to think creatively for each case.
She called on all stakeholders in the justice system to spread awareness so more people choose settlement over litigation.
Justice Hamarsan Singh Thangkhiew and Justice Wanlur Diengdoh, Judges of the High Court of Meghalaya, also addressed the gathering. The programme was attended by Justice Biswadeep Bhattacharjee, other judicial officers and participants.
The programme was organised by the Meghalaya State Legal Services Authority in collaboration with the Mediation and Conciliation Project Committee of the Supreme Court of India and the Mediation Committee of the High Court of Meghalaya.
