ACCESS TO SPEEDY RELIEF: NECESSITY OF LEGISLATION ON MEDIATION PROCESS FOR SETTLEMENT OF CRIMINAL OFFENCES

This article examines the nature of mediation process adhered by Civil Court on the basis of settle legal provisions and compared inadequate provisions of mediation process in criminal side. It also analyses the existing provisions relating to mediation for criminal cases which are insufficient and thereby failed to impart justice and speedy relief to litigants. Finally, the article focuses on the proposed amendment of legal provisions and mechanism to ensure the mediation process in criminal matters compoundable with or without permission of the criminal court and concludes that it is high time to consider introducing mediation process in criminal side legal system in order to impart speedy relief and to reduce the huge backlog of pending criminal cases in India.