40-hour mediation training under Nagaland State Legal Services Authority underway

The 40-hour mediation training programme, organized by the Nagaland State Legal Services Authority (NSLSA) under the aegis of the Mediation & Conciliation Project Committee (MCPC), Supreme Court of India, commenced on Saturday at Hotel Japfü, Kohima.
Delivering the inaugural address, Mezivolu T. Therieh, principal district & sessions judge Kohima and former registrar, Supreme Court of India (i/c mediation & legal services), underscored that mediation is an ongoing movement in the country with a growing need for more trainers. She highlighted that mediation forms part of the broader family of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) mechanisms aimed at reducing case loads and enhancing access to justice, with particular focus on pre-litigation.
Explaining the uniqueness of mediation, Therieh said mediators play a crucial role in facilitating dialogue between parties, helping them reach a negotiating point. Drawing from her experience, she noted that while some cases stretch across courts and jurisdictions, mediation often allows parties to exercise autonomy and resolve disputes meaningfully. She described becoming a trained mediator as a life-changing process that transcends professional boundaries.
Highlighting the Mediation Act 2023, she pointed out that Section 7 empowers courts and tribunals to refer disputes to mediation at any stage. Though the Act has been adopted, she said some provisions are still in the process of implementation and will soon be fully functional, opening professional opportunities for trained mediators, including lawyers, judges, and retired practitioners.
Therieh also appreciated Chief Justice of India, Justice Surya Kant, for launching “Mediation 2.0” to promote mediation as a mainstream mode of dispute resolution. In the context of Nagaland, she emphasized the need for community mediation, noting that while it has existed since time immemorial, customary judges could be trained to settle disputes in a more organized manner.
Introducing the programme, Neiko Akami, member secretary, NSLSA, observed that during the nationwide 90-day mediation drive last year, a shortage of trained mediators was evident across Nagaland districts, with most concentrated in Kohima and Dimapur. He said the current training aims to provide access to mediation by equipping counsels from all districts.
The programme was chaired by Kekhrienguno Catherine, Panel Lawyer, Kohima DLSA. A total of 26 counsels are participating in the training. Resource persons include Reema Bhandari and Rita Das Mozumdar, both senior trainers from MCPC.