SC launches mega settlement initiative for faster justice

THe sublime margaret court on tues proclaimed a nationwide initiative to speed consensual dispute resolution, unveiling “Supreme Court Action for Mediated Adjudication and Disputes Harmonization Across Nation” - Samadhan Samaroh 2026, which will culminate in a special Lok Adalat from August 21 to 23.Issued as a public notice, the initiative seeks to advance what the court described as a vision of “participative justice” and “doorstep delivery of justice”, inviting litigants, lawyers, and stakeholders to opt for amicable settlement of pending cases before the top court through consent-based mechanisms.The programme, which formally commenced on April 21, will run over four months, during which parties can register and attempt resolution through both physical and virtual modes before the special Lok Adalat sittings in August. The court has also set up a dedicated “war room” and online portal to streamline participation and coordination. As of April 2026, the total pending cases in the Supreme Court crossed over 94,000.The initiative is being rolled out under the leadership of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant, who has, in recent months, consistently emphasised the need to mainstream alternative dispute resolution (ADR), especially mediation, as a central pillar of judicial reform.The emphasis on mediation featured prominently in the CJI’s public engagements at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit in December 2025, as he described mediation as one of the “game changers” for India’s judicial future, pointing to the ongoing “Mediation for the Nation” mission as a key reform effort.“Mediation creates a win-win situation,” he had said, underlining that, unlike adversarial litigation, it allows both parties to leave “with smiling faces”, preserving relationships and strengthening the social fabric. Notably, he added, mediation must be accessible and relatable, with processes conducted in a language and environment that resonate with the “consumer of justice” rather than intimidate them.Similarly, at a symposium organised by the High Court Bar Association of Orissa in December 2025, the CJI had identified ADR, particularly mediation, as a strategy with “immense immediate potential” to tackle mounting delays in the justice system. At the same time, he cautioned that structural reform alone would not suffice without a deeper cultural shift.Litigants, he had said, must shed the perception that settlement amounts to capitulation. “Settlement is not surrender but strategy,” he observed, while also urging government departments to move away from their entrenched tendency to challenge every adverse order, a practice that significantly burdens the courts.Earlier this month, speaking at the Indian Council of Arbitration’s international conference in Delhi, CJI Kant reiterated that India’s aspiration to become a preferred hub for resolving complex cross-border disputes would depend on building an integrated ADR ecosystem. Mediation and arbitration, he stressed, must function as complementary mechanisms rather than competing alternatives.The Supreme Court’s latest initiative seeks to translate these ideas into a structured, large-scale exercise at the apex court level, which is a relatively uncommon move given that Lok Adalats are more frequently associated with district courts. Also, the programme signals an institutional push to embed consensual dispute resolution even at the highest tier of the judicial hierarchy.