Dispute Resolution

India's Lok Adalat system provides a statutory alternative dispute resolution mechanism through which pending court cases and pre-litigation disputes can be settled amicably, without the formality and delay of ordinary trial proceedings. On 14 March 2026, the 1st National Lok Adalat of 2026 resolved approximately 2.84 crore cases with a combined settlement value of Rs 10,920.47 crore, underscoring the continuing scale and relevance of this system in reducing India's massive c

India enacted the Mediation Act, 2023 (No. 32 of 2023), receiving Presidential assent on 14 September 2023, marking a watershed moment in the country's alternative dispute resolution landscape. For decades, mediation in India operated without a dedicated statutory framework — parties relied on the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 or court-annexed mediation under the Code of Civil Procedure. The Mediation Act, 2023 changes this entirely by establishing mediation as a sta