The Chief Justice of India NV Ramana on Saturday underscored the need for a law to make mediation the mandatory first step in dispute resolution process.

"Prescribing mediation as a mandatory first step for resolution of every allowable dispute will go a long way in promoting mediation. Perhaps, an omnibus law in this regard is needed to fill the vacuum", he said.

The CJI was delivering his keynote address at the India-Singapore Mediation Summit "Making Mediation mainstream: Reflections from India and Singapore". Chief Justice Ramana pointed out that many Asian countries including India have a long and rich tradition of collaborative and amicable settlement of disputes. Referring to the Indian epic Mahabharata which envisages an early attempt at mediation, the CJI observed,

Chief Justice N.V. Ramana was speaking at the India - Singapore Mediation Summit 2021, organised by Singapore International Mediation Centre (SIMC), in strategic partnership with CAMP Mediation, and Mediation Mantras.

Read a full report, via Live Law, here.