The first edition of the CNLU National Mediation Competition, 2023, was inaugurated in a virtual ceremony on 21 January, 2023.

The competition was organised under the aegis of the Chanakya Centre for Alternative Dispute Resolution. The centre aims to develop the ADR culture among students by encouraging them to participate in activities in the field of ADR by organising such competitions.

The session was attended by the Chief Guest Tariq Khan (Registrar IAMC-Hyderabad), Vice-Chancellor of the University Justice Mridula Mishra (Retd.), Registrar Manoranjan Prasad Srivastava and other faculty members.

The event commenced at 11 am with an introductory address after which, student members of the centre introduced the centre, its vision and its future initiatives.

An address by the CNLU Vice-Chancellor on the importance of mediation in the current Indian judicial system followed this.

The Chief Guest of the ceremony, Tariq Khan, addressed the participants about the importance of mediation and how mediation is the future of dispute settlement.

The ceremony ended with the Vice Chancellor declaring the competition open.

The second preliminary round commenced at 11 am with rounds being conducted in more than 15 rooms, joined by 32 teams and judges after an elaborate judge-briefing.

With exchange of confidential information, the teams showcased their mediating skills. The knowledgeable judges imparted their know-hows of the field upon the participants.

After the completion of the preliminary rounds, 8 teams as well as mediators qualified for the quarter finals. The teams and mediators who qualified were from leading institutions including the National Academy of Legal Studies and Research University of Law, National Law University Jodphur, National Law University Odisha, Jindal Global Law School, Symbiosis Law School Pune, Government Law College Mumbai, Campus Law Centre Delhi University, Symbiosis Law SchoolHyderabad, etc.

The quarter finals began from 4 pm after another judge-briefing by the student-members.

The quarter finals concluded, and with that, the second day ended with top four qualifying teams and mediators. These teams will participate in the semi finals in physical mode at the campus of Chanakya National Law University Patna on 11 February, 2023.

Justice Mohit Shah & Justice Dr Anushman, Judges of the Patna High Court, among others, will grace the event and judge the final rounds which will be followed by the valedictory ceremony in the presence of Justice Chakradhari Sharan Singh, Judge of Patna High Court.

More details are available on the CCADR website here.

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