Empower Panchayats to Mediate Rural Conflicts Under Mediation Act: President Murmu

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 3rd May: President Droupadi Murmu on Saturday launched the Mediation Association of India and addressed the First National Mediation Conference in New Delhi, stressing the urgent need to extend the Mediation Act’s benefits to India’s rural heartlands.

Speaking at the conference, President Murmu highlighted that the Mediation Act, 2023 marks a return to India’s deep-rooted civilisational legacy of conflict resolution through dialogue. “The dispute resolution mechanism under the Mediation Act should be effectively extended to rural areas so that Panchayats are legally empowered to mediate and resolve conflicts in villages,” she asserted, underlining that social harmony in villages is key to nation-building.

The President emphasized that mediation plays a vital role in delivering justice — the core objective of the Indian Constitution. “Mediation not only expedites justice in specific cases but also reduces court burdens, making the judiciary more efficient,” she said, noting its impact on enhancing the ease of living and doing business.

Recalling India’s rich tradition of Panchayat-led dispute resolution, President Murmu lamented how colonial-era legal systems had sidelined indigenous models. “The Panchayat was not just a conflict-resolving body, but a pillar of social cohesion,” she noted. She hailed the Mediation Act, 2023 as a long-overdue step that provides a formal framework for institutionalising mediation in India.

Calling the conference more than a ceremonial event, she said it was “a call to action” for building a trusted, professional and accessible mediation ecosystem. “Mediation must become a structured, preferred mechanism for dispute resolution across all sections of society,” she said.

The President concluded by urging stakeholders to view conflict resolution not merely as a legal responsibility, but as a societal imperative. “Mediation fosters dialogue, understanding and collaboration — values essential for a harmonious, resilient and inclusive India,” she said, adding that it is a key tool for realising the vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047.