Kumar Prabhat
Dumka
The District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), Dumka, has successfully concluded a three-day intensive training programme under the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), New Delhi, pilot project “Community Mediation: Towards a Litigation-Free Rural India.” The initiative is being implemented under the guidance of the Jharkhand State Legal Services Authority (JHALSA), Ranchi.
Held at Nyaya Sadan, DLSA Dumka, the programme aimed to equip community members with practical skills to resolve minor disputes at the grassroots level, particularly those involving land, family matters and other local conflicts.
The training focused on key aspects of community mediation, including active listening, neutrality, confidentiality, conflict identification and negotiation. Participants also took part in role-play exercises, case studies and simulated situations to develop practical skills for facilitating reconciliation between disputing parties.
Specially trained mediators Rajendra Prasad, Kumar Prabhat, Manoj Kumar Ghosh and Md Raja served as master trainers. They shared their experience in dispute resolution and provided participants with insights into negotiation techniques, communication barriers and methods of addressing emotional aspects of conflicts.
The programme was attended by Principal Judge, Family Court, Yogeshwar Mani; District and Additional Sessions Judge Prakash Jha; Chief Judicial Magistrate Anup Tirki; and DLSA Secretary Vivek Kumar.
Addressing the valedictory session, speakers emphasised that justice can often be achieved through reconciliation rather than prolonged litigation. Community-based settlement, they said, can help reduce the burden on courts while enabling villagers to resolve disputes without damaging long-standing social and family relationships.
The initiative is expected to create a cadre of trained community mediators who can facilitate peaceful settlements within rural communities. DLSA Dumka said the programme marks an important step towards making justice more accessible and promoting the NALSA vision of a litigation-free rural India.
