Follow Gandhi, settle family disputes through mediation:SC

New Delhi, Jan 14 (PTI) Civil disputes in the family andmatrimonial disputes can be better settled through mediationinstead of fighting prolonged legal battles which would onlyruin the litigants, the Supreme Court has counselled.

A bench of justices Markandeya Katju and Gyan SudhaMishra in an order quoting Mahatma Gandhi''s book "MyExperiments with Truth" asked lawyers to advise the clients togo in for mediation, instead of fighting protracted battlesinvolving huge expenditure.

Mediation is an alternative dispute mechanisim where amediator works out a compromise between the disputing parties.

"This is a dispute between brothers. In our opinion,an effort should be made to resolve the dispute between theparties by mediation.

"In our opinion, the lawyers should advise theirclients to try for mediation for resolving the disputes,especially where relationships, like family relationships,business relationships, are involved otherwise, the litigationdrags on for years and decades often ruining both the parties.

"Hence,the lawyers as well as litigants should followMahatma Gandhi''s advice in the matter and try forarbitration/mediation. This is also the purpose of Section 89of the Code of Civil Procedure," the apex court said in anorder.