The ninth Mediation Centre of the Capital, set up by the Delhi Dispute Resolution Society (DDRS), was inaugurated at Jahangirpuri here on Tuesday with a call made to citizens to resolve their disputes amicably with the help of experts at these centres. Eleven more such centres will be shortly established in different localities of Delhi.
Inaugurating the Centre, Delhi Chief Secretary D.M. Spolia said the DDRS had received 23,830 cases of disputes and resolved 9,407 of them till September 30 this year. Delhi was the first State in the country to start this unique justice delivery system to the common people which did not involve any major costs, he said.
Mr. Spolia said the State Government and the Delhi High Court had set up the DDRS through a joint venture under the Department of Law, Justice & Legislative Affairs. “The DDRS comprises a balanced amalgam of bureaucrats and judicial officers. It provides an alternative forum for resolution of disputes before approaching the police or courts,” he said.
DDRS chairperson Justice M.L. Mehta said the mediation centres operating in the Capital were serving the cause of reducing the backlog of cases in courts, saving the litigation costs, building relationships and a healthy social order and ensuring people's empowerment.
The breadth of services provided by DDRS include mediation for disputes of community, neighbourhood, matrimony, property, consumers, public nuisance, trespass, etc. Disputes relating to deficiency and default of service providers are also resolved at the mediation centres.
