ShodhPatra: International Journal of Science and Humanities

Examining the Efficiency and Effectiveness of Alternative Dispute Resolution in Reducing Judicial Burden

Globally, the judiciary is dealing with an enormous backlog of cases that compromises the efficient administration of justice, especially in a populous country like India. Over 4.5 crore cases are still waiting in Indian courts as of 2025. This situation is made worse by a low judge-to-population ratio, which causes major delays, financial losses, and a high percentage of undertrial inmates. In this situation, effective and amicable substitutes for conventional litigation are provided by Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) procedures such arbitration, mediation, conciliation, and Lok Adalats. The efficiency and efficacy of ADR in lowering judicial load are evaluated in this study using a qualitative doctrinal and comparative methodology. It is based on academic literature, judicial decisions, and statutory provisions. With global settlement rates in court-annexed programs approaching 60–80%, the results show that alternative dispute resolution (ADR), especially mediation, has significant potential to reduce court congestion. However, in India, despite the mandate under Section 89 of the Civil Procedure Code, ADR settlement rates remain low due to implementation issues. The study indicates that ADR can dramatically reduce pending cases provided it is supported by stronger institutional structures, increased knowledge, and judicial encouragement. To provide prompt and accessible justice, ADR must be more successfully incorporated into the judicial system.