President Droupadi Murmu on Saturday observed that the dispute resolution mechanism under the Mediation Act 2023 should be effectively extended to rural areas so that Panchayats are legally empowered to mediate and resolve the conflicts in villages.

Addressing the first National Mediation Conference 2025 in New Delhi, the President said that the Mediation Act, 2023, was the first step in consolidating the civilisational legacy. ”Now we need to add momentum to it and strengthen its practice. She emphasised that the dispute resolution mechanism under the Mediation Act should be effectively extended to rural areas so that the Panchayats are legally empowered to mediate and resolve the conflicts in villages. Social harmony in villages is an essential prerequisite of making the nation strong,” she added.

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The President said that mediation is an essential part of the delivery of justice, which is at the heart of the Constitution of India. Mediation can speed up the delivery of justice not only in the specific case under consideration, but also in other cases, by reducing the burden on courts of a large number of litigations. It can make the overall judicial system much more efficient. It can thus open up the developmental pathways that might have been blocked. It can enhance both the ease of doing business and the ease of living. ”Mediation, when we see it this way, becomes a key instrument to realise the vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047,” she added.

The President said that India has a long and rich tradition of judicial mechanisms in which out-of-court settlements were more of a norm than the exception. The institution of the Panchayat is legendary for fostering amicable resolutions. The Panchayat’s endeavour was not only to resolve the dispute but also to remove any bitterness among the parties about it. It was a pillar of social harmony for us. ”Unfortunately, the colonial rulers ignored this exemplary legacy when they imposed an alien legal system on us. While the new system did have a provision for mediation and out-of-court resolution, and the old tradition of alternative mechanisms did continue, there was no institutional framework for it. The Mediation Act, 2023, plugs that loophole and has several provisions that will form the foundation of a vibrant and effective mediation ecosystem in India,” she added.