Kathmandu, Aug. 4: The government has introduced a bill to amend Nepal’s Mediation Act, proposing to allow judges to serve as mediators in an effort to resolve disputes more quickly and expand access to justice.
Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sobita Gautam registered the Mediation (Second Amendment) Bill in the House of Representatives on Monday.
The bill aims to promote faster, simpler and less expensive dispute resolution through mediation while expanding mediation services to the provincial and local levels.
Under the proposed amendment, a judge designated by the Chief Judge from among district judges in district courts with five or more judges may also act as a mediator in cases that are legally eligible for mediation or settlement.
Judges assigned as mediators must complete basic mediation training and will be prohibited from accepting any remuneration, benefits, cash or gifts from either party while performing the role.
The bill also proposes the formation of a Commercial Mediation Promotion Committee to facilitate mediation in commercial disputes. In addition, mediation coordination committees would be established at the provincial and district levels to strengthen oversight and implementation.
To promote community-based dispute resolution, local communities, in coordination with local governments, would be allowed to establish community mediation centres.
The proposed law also relaxes qualification requirements for mediators at the local level. Where university graduates are unavailable, individuals who have completed at least secondary education or an equivalent qualification would be eligible to serve as mediators.
To improve efficiency, the bill allows mediation sessions to be conducted through audiovisual platforms, including video conferencing.
It also authorises courts and other adjudicating bodies to refer suitable disputes to local governments for mediation whenever they consider such a process appropriate.
The bill seeks to amend the Mediation Act, 2011, as part of the government’s broader effort to make dispute resolution more accessible and efficient.
People’s News Monitoring Service
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