Mediation should be given priority in family dispute cases: Chief Justice

Chief Justice K.R. Shriram advocates for amicable dispute resolution, accessibility to courts, and digitalization in judiciary.

Chief Justice of Madras High Court Justice K.R. Shriram on Sunday said that litigants should explore the possibilities of resolving the dispute amicably especially in family disputes rather than filing cases in courts.

In his inaugural address after opening the District Munsif cum Judicial Magistrate Court in Kilpennathur near Tiruvannamalai town, Justice Mr. Shriram said that mediation is the best possible solution for any dispute especially those involving family matters. “The litigant should think whether he has been reasonable to his opponent especially in a family dispute. If the litigant thinks in that way, the dispute can be solved amicably,” he said.

The Chief Justice emphasized that courts should be easily accessible to poor, marginalised and underprivileged sections in the society. Opening of such new courts also helps poor litigants in faraway places to get easy access to courts. Earlier, they would have travelled long distances to file cases at courts in the district headquarters. “Courts are not only meant to adjudicate but also to protect the vulnerable sections in the society and uphold the rule of law. We should ensure that justice is delivered fairly and expeditiously,” he said.

Advocating to the changing world including digitalisation, Justice Mr. Shriram noted that Judiciary is facing numerous challenges including technology that has been transforming the way Judiciary used to function and administer justice earlier. Digitalisation also enables quicker case resolutions and provides greater transparency. “Courts will not only benefit with physical infrastructure alone but also align with our efforts to digitise the judicial process to ensure speedy justice and greater transparency,” he said. 

Earlier, Chief Justice Mr. Shriram virtually inaugurated an additional sub court in Cheyyar town after opening the Judicial Magistrate Court in Kilpennathur in person. On the occasion, Justice D. Bharatha Chakravarthy and Justice K. Kumaresh Babu, Judges of Madras High Court, S. Regupathy, Minister for Law, Courts and Prisons, K. Pitchandi, Deputy Speaker of Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, and Tiruvannamalai Collector D. Bhaskara Pandian were present.