The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Law and Justice, headed by veteran BJP MP Sushil Kumar Modi, will begin deliberations on the Mediation Bill from January 3. Officials of the Union Law Ministry will brief the members of the panel about the Bill.

Sources in the panel told BusinessLine that the effort will be to complete the proceedings within three months so that the report could be tabled during the budget session of Parliament. The panel is likely to call various stakeholders on the Bill. “This legislation is very important in the legal history of the country. The concept is new and the Bill deserves a serious effort,” a member in the panel said. He added that the briefing of the Ministry will take at least three meetings of the panel. “It is a voluminous Bill. First, we will be given a proper briefing on various sections of the Bill. Then, we will consult among ourselves about the course we must take for a threadbare analysis of the Bill,” the member added.

‘Involve State governments’

An Opposition member said he will demand that the State Governments will also have to be consulted about the Bill. “Many sections of the Bill are about issues that are dealt at present by the State Governments. So, it is important to hear the views of the State Governments on this Bill. Several jurists and lawyers have voiced concerns about some provisions of the Bill, which also have to be discussed,” the member said.

The Mediation Bill, introduced in Rajya Sabha during the Winter Session, was sent to the Standing Committee for further deliberations. The Bill, among other things, proposes the establishment of the Mediation Council of India to promote mediation and develop India as a robust centre for domestic and international mediation, make regulations for registration of mediators, grade mediation service providers, specify criteria for recognition of mediation institutes and mediation service providers according to the Bill.

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