ICSI Unveils Global ADR Centre to Tackle Court Backlog and Speed Up Justice

Nagpur: Seeking to ease mounting pressure on courts and accelerate dispute resolution, the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) has announced plans to establish an international centre for Alternative Dispute Resolution, positioning it as a parallel mechanism to handle commercial and civil disputes more efficiently.Speaking exclusively to TOI, ICSI national president Pawan Chandak said the initiative was driven by concerns over judicial delays, citing remarks by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant. "Today the judiciary is so overloaded that it will take decades to solve all the registered cases," Chandak said, underscoring the urgency for systemic alternatives.The proposed ADR centre will initially be set up in Noida, with planned expansion to major cities including Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai, alongside international hubs in Dubai, Singapore, Hong Kong and London. Chandak said the platform is intended to "create a structured ecosystem" for arbitration and mediation, complementing the formal judicial system by diverting disputes to specialised forums.Beyond dispute resolution, the institute is expanding its engagement with emerging businesses. It has launched the Startup and MSME Catalyst programme to equip company secretaries with expertise in business registration, financing and compliance.Chandak said ICSI is also strengthening global outreach in collaboration with the ministry of external affairs. "Our ‘Corporate Governance for Better Tomorrow' programme focuses on environment, social, governance, sustainability disclosures, and global risk management," he said.The institute has introduced new academic programmes, including a "Professional Reboot" course for women returning to the workforce, a two-year MBA in Maritime Regulations and Compliance Management in partnership with Gujarat Maritime University, and a certification course on UAE business management.In a push for inclusivity, ICSI is offering full fee waivers for children of armed forces personnel, Agniveers and students from Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. The ICSI Institute of Social Auditors has developed 16 social audit standards under Securities and Exchange Board of India regulations, along with a new compliance framework on prevention of workplace sexual harassment.