New Office of ADR Centre Inaugurated
KOCHI: The new office of Alternative Disputes Resolution (ADR) Centre in Kochi on the district court (annexe) premises, Kaloor, was inaugurated by Justice Thottathil B Radhakrishnan, also the Executive Chairman of KELSA, on Tuesday. The two-floor building was constructed with a fund of `1 crore granted by the 13th Finance Commission.
According to officials of the centre, the public can avail themselves of the services of Lok Adalat, District Legal Service Authority (DELSA), Kanayannoor Taluk Legal Service Authority (TSLA), District Mediation Centre and Family Court Mediation Centre at the new centre.
“The offices of these agencies are currently located in different parts of the city. It would be moved to the new building within a week. The office of the High Court Mediation Centre would function in the building close to Kerala High Court,” officials said.
The Lok Adalat will deal with complaints from Idukki, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Alappuzha and Thrissur on matters related to transport, post and telegraph, telephone, power, light and water, sanitation, service in hospitals and insurance. DLSA and TLSA will provide legal aid services and conduct legal awareness programme.
The District Mediation Centre will deal with cases in which both parties approach for a compromise. The Family Court Mediation Centre will take up cases referred from the family court. About 50 mediators work at the centre.
The ADR Centre in the state was started in Thiruvananthapuram a few years ago. The Ernakulam ADR Centre is the second one in the state. The construction of new buildings for the centre is going on in other districts.
K P Dandapani, Advocate-General, N Nagaresh, Assistant Solicitor-General of India and K Sathyan, Director ADR Centre, were present. Justice K T Sankaran of the Kerala High Court Kerala and Judge in-charge of Ernakulam Judicial Court presided over the inaugural ceremony.
Justice Antony, Judge, Kerala Mediation Centre and president of Kerala State Mediation and Conciliation Centre, delivered the keynote address. S Mohandas, Judge of Ernakulam District and Principal Sessions Court and Chairman of DLSA, Ernakulam, was also present.