{"id":27779,"date":"2026-07-12T06:48:23","date_gmt":"2026-07-12T06:48:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/?p=27779"},"modified":"2026-07-12T07:02:04","modified_gmt":"2026-07-12T07:02:04","slug":"pre-litigation-mediation-mediation-act-2023-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/pre-litigation-mediation-mediation-act-2023-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"Pre-Litigation Mediation Under the Mediation Act, 2023: Complete Legal Guide to Section 5, Section 27, Section 28 & Patil Automation Judgment"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

<\/span>Abstract<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This paper examines pre-litigation mediation under the Mediation Act, 2023, India’s first standalone legislation on mediation. It analyses the voluntary framework established under Section 5, the mandatory exception applicable to commercial disputes under Section 12A of the Commercial Courts Act, 2015, and the Supreme Court’s ruling in Patil Automation Pvt. Ltd. v. Rakheja Engineers Pvt. Ltd.<\/em> The paper further examines the time-bound structure prescribed under Section 18 and the enforceability of Mediated Settlement Agreements under Section 27. It identifies the unresolved question of whether a challenge under Section 28 automatically stays enforcement under Section 27 and examines India’s non-ratification of the Singapore Convention on Mediation as a gap in cross-border enforcement. The paper finds that while the statutory framework is comprehensive, practical implementation faces constraints, including limited mediator capacity, an incompletely operationalised Mediation Council of India, and low public awareness. It concludes with recommendations for strengthening implementation and international enforceability.<\/p>

\n
\n

Table of Contents<\/p>\nToggle<\/span><\/path><\/svg><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n