SRINAGAR: The State Administrative Council (SAC), which met here today under the chairmanship of Governor, Satya Pal Malik approved the draft ‘Jammu and Kashmir Arbitration and Conciliation (Amendment) Bill, 2018’.

The Bill seeks to provide for speedy disposal of the arbitration matters and for providing mediation and conciliation in pending arbitration matters before the court.

There is no provision in the Jammu & Kashmir Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1997 for mediation or conciliation during pendency of petitions under section 9 or section 11 of the Act or during the proceedings for setting aside of award or pendency of appeal.

New sections are being inserted to refer the pending matters to mediation or conciliation with the consent of both the parties and prescribing time-limits in arbitration proceedings. This will be an alternate way of dispute resolution and will speed up the conciliation and arbitration proceedings.