The installation of mediation centres at the Supreme Court and the Patan Appellate Court is an important event in the sphere of justice dispensation in the country. Similar centres are to be opened throughout the country in the near future. The regulations of the courts — from district to the apex level — have been amended for the same purpose. Inaugurating the opening ceremony at the SC premises, US Ambassador to Nepal James F Moriarty said on Thursday that nearly 90 per cent of all court cases in the US are settled through mediation. This highlights the importance that the system of mediation potentially could hold for seekers of justice. By handling the bulk of civil and family dispute cases, the centres will save the disputants considerable time and expense, apart from reducing the courts’ workload.

The beauty of these centres is that, by settling the cases on a mutually-agreed-upon basis, there will be no winners and losers. Instead, their prompt and cost-effective procedures will speed up the justice delivery by avoiding red-tapism in the judicial sector. The success of the system will depend, to a large extent, on the cooperation of lawyers. Belatedly though, the establishment of the centres is a welcome development, especially for the poor who cannot afford high expenses to fight drawn-out cases. Further measures need to be taken to make sure that even the poorest receive justice through mediation.