Delhi: LG approves proposal for enhancement of honorarium to be paid to Advocate Mediators

New Delhi [India], August 3 (ANI): Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena has approved the enhancement of honorarium to be paid to Advocate Mediators working in the Mediation Centres in Delhi District Courts functioning at Tis Hazari, Karkardooma, Rohini, Dwarka, Saket and Patiala House Court Complexes, according to an official statement.

Saxena’s approval for revision/enhancement in Honorarium to the Advocate Mediators which was not increased since 2014, will help those whose remuneration had stagnated, the statement said.

As per the revised honorarium which is to be paid with effect from 07.05.2022, Rs 5,000 would be paid to the Mediators in cases of settlement through Mediation, and Rs 1,000 per case subject to a maximum of Rs 3,000 in Connected cases.

In cases of no settlement (if the party fail to arrive at an amicable settlement despite three effective hearings), the Mediators would be paid Rs 2,500. Earlier no honorarium was applicable for Mediators in case of no settlement.

On 04.02.2014, the Mediation and Conciliation Project Committee (MCPC), Supreme Court, had decided that with effect from 01.04.2015, Rs 3,000 per case (with two or more connected cases, the maximum would be Rs 4,000) be paid to Mediators on settlement through the mediation of matrimonial cases (including criminal), custody, guardianship, probate, partition and possession and for all other matters Rs 2,000 per case (with two or more connected case, the maximum would be Rs 3,000.

According to the 2014 decision, Rs 500 per case subject to a maximum of Rs 1,000 (regardless of the number of connected cases) was to be paid to the mediators and no honorarium was applicable in case of no settlement.

On perusing the file, the Lieutenant Government took note that the Principal District and Sessions Judge vide letter 14.07.2022 informed that in a meeting held on 15.12.2021, the MCPC, Supreme Court noticed that there has been no increase in honorarium payable to the Mediators since 2014 and accordingly the enhanced the rates of Honoraria to be paid to the Advocates/Mediators throughout the country.

Subsequently, in the meeting held on 23.03.2022, the MCPC had further resolved that the decision to enhance the honorarium being paid to the Mediators was recommendatory and it is for the concerned high courts and state government to accept the proposal contained in the resolution dated 15.12.2021 as an adequate fund for Mediation is to be made available by the concerned state government.

The recommendation of the MCPC to enhance the Honorarium to be payable to the Mediators has been accepted by the Delhi High Court with effect from 07.05.2022.