The online dispute resolution platform Presolv360 announced the establishment of its advisory council.
The advisory council consists of justices like Justice B N Srikrishna and Justice Kannan Krishnamoorthy alongwith the former Chief Justice of India, U U Lalit. The objective for the constitution of the council is to seek guidance for the ODR platform Presolv360 in the fields of legal, ethical, procedural and policy related activities.
The legal-tech company aims to resolve the burden of cases in court by providing a scope of resolving cases ‘out-of-court’, thus reducing the caseload, resources and cost through tech-based, online resolution of cases.
With the formation of the new legislation on mediation and the ongoing review of the Arbitration law, there is a renewed focus on institutional Alternative Dispute Redressal (ADR) in India.
Complementing the views of the government, and working with various courts, govt bodies and private entities, Presolv360 said that it wants to ensure that “Online Dispute Resolution, like UPI, becomes another success story from India that the world looks up to.”
Commenting on the milestone of roping in the legal maestros, Bhaven Shah, co-founder of Presolv360, said, “It is encouraging to have such legal luminaries support us to shape our vision and processes. We look forward to using their wisdom and experience to continue on our path to becoming a world class ADR institution,” vehicle aiming for becoming “synonymous with ADR in the country and the region.”
Justice Srikrishna, former judge of the Supreme Court and a pioneer in the growth of the Alternative Dispute Resolution India story, said “For India to become a hub of ADR, as is the ambition these days, it must focus on two things – institutions and ODR. Presolv360 is working at the intersection of both.”
Additionally, Justice Kannan Krishnamoorthy, a former judge of the High Court of Punjab and Haryana has been a member mediator with Presolv360 from the last few years. He has mediated international disputes referred to him through the redressal platform.
“To see this organisation grow from an idea disrupting the legal-tech ecosystem to now seeking to become a leading ADR institution is heartening. ODR institutions must not be looked at any differently from the likes of SIAC or closer home, Delhi International Arbitration Centre & others” he said, appreciating the efforts and milestones of the company.
The e-legal landscape
It is to be noted that the online resolution of disputes concerning legal matters has been seeing acceptance and growth among the Indian demography.
The adoption of the facility in the courtrooms has also seen growth and is being utilised extensively, and encouragingly in the case of e-Lok Adalats.
In 2021, the National Institution for Transforming India (Niti Aayog) formulated a policy, designing a futuristic manner for the online dispute redressal in the country.
The policy highlighted the advantages of ODR which become a pathway for an alternative redressal of disputes through cutting costs, providing a scope for customisable process – which means its ability to prove flexible in respective or individual cases, and limiting bias caused by human judgement.
The former Chief Justice of India, U U Lalit also expressed his views and support to the legal aid process facilitated by technology. Joining the advisory council of Presolv360, he said, “while technology is changing the dispute resolution ecosystem, it must be backed by strong institutions running ethically and following due process. I am delighted to lend my support to an institution that is at the forefront of this”.
Challenges for ODR
The Niti Aayog’s expert committee in their report also elaborated the global landscape of ODR’s practice around the globe and India and provided for recommendations to mitigate challenges for its future growth in the country in terms of reducing the digital divide, making people aware of the facility, strengthening the current legal system through strengthening the existing legislative framework, and ultimately forming policies regulating the redressal private players.
India has been moving ahead on the road to adoption of ODR as seen prominently during the Covid19 pandemic, however, the lack of credible, cost-effective and efficient institutions pose a challenge to its growth. With the presence of companies such as Legit Law & Co and Presolv360, the legal-tech environment will further democratise the essence of legal aid and the idea of our country as a whole, which is on the journey of key developments in diverse areas supporting its people and economy.
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