ADR to mitigate sufferings of poor litigants

"Increasing expenses of litigation, delay in disposal of cases and huge backlogs in our legal system have virtually shaken the confidence of the people in the judiciary," he said, speaking as chief guest at the concluding session of a two-day regional workshop on ADR.

The chief justice was of the view that the real success of ADR could not be achieved merely by bringing some changes in procedural law and taking some administrative steps for introduction of the same.

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He said: "Now there is a need to promote the culture of ADR at community level from the bottom up because the prevalent attitude of the people, including the judges and lawyers is not so encouraging."

Justice Husain stressed the urgency of creating a regular corps of trained and efficient mediators/neutrals, "relying upon whom the judges or the parties in dispute can comfortably go" for the process of ADR methods.

The workshop, organised by the British Council, adopted a regional action plan and came up with country-specific recommendations for promoting and instituting ADR.

A major focus of the workshop was on training for developing professional mediators and sensitising judges, lawyers, policymakers, litigants and the masses.

Eminent legal experts, government officials, academicians, NGO and civil society leaders from five South Asian countries Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka - took part in the workshop.