Dispute resolution: Judge highlights importance of speedy justice

Justice Bandial stated that the application of ADR mechanisms was essential to reduce court backlogs.

The administration of fair, speedy, quality justice, and is an important aspect of creating a state where there is rule of law.

This was among the topics brought up by Supreme Court Justice Umar Ata Bandial on Monday during the inaugural ceremony of a one-week training course on “Skilled Based ADR Training” for civil judges and judicial magistrates.

This course was held at the Federal Judicial Academy in Islamabad with members of various benches from all over Pakistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan participating, said a press release.

Justice Bandial stated that the application of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms was essential to reduce court backlogs and enhance their effectiveness.

“Our judicial system has been plagued by problems [which] always hinder the speedy administration of justice.

It appears that due to inadequate and delayed justice, we are not addressing the problem properly. In such a situation, where we have a slow dispensation of justice through our courts, we must recognise the utility of ADR techniques because I think better quality of courts is associated with more frequent use of ADR justice delivery mechanisms,” the recently-elevated apex court judge said.

Addressing the young judges of district judiciary, he said, “The judiciary, from civil courts to the Supreme Court, is like one family and we have to strive to maintain and enhance the status of the judiciary which has risen in the aftermath of the lawyers’ movement for the restoration of judges of the superior judiciary.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 8^th, 2014.