Supreme Court Judge Pushes Mediation to Resolve Family Feuds

Guwahati: Court rulings in family cases often miss the mark. Justice N V Anjaria of the Supreme Court stated on Sunday, September 27, that these legal solutions frequently feel artificial. Judges impose outcomes that can leave families feeling cheated. Justice Anjaria called this brand of justice illusory and warned it can actually amount to injustice.

He spoke during the final session of the Eastern Zone Regional Conference held in Guwahati. The event examined the shift from traditional courtroom battles to alternative dispute resolution. Mediation offers a better path. "Family disputes are human disputes arising out of human sentiments and human sensitivity," he said. He argued that courts struggle to handle the deep, personal connections that drive these conflicts.

The rise of litigation inside the home has become a major worry. Justice Anjaria lamented the current state of domestic unity. He noted that while the nation once upheld the value of togetherness, people now struggle to keep even a single family intact. Resolving these cases requires more than just following the law. It demands social engineering and a high degree of empathy.

Participants spent two days discussing how to boost the use of mediation. They aimed to find ways to move families away from adversarial adjudication. Everyone agreed that the system needs to prioritize human relationships over rigid court procedures.