In a major development for the legal landscape, the SETLEN Arbitration and Dispute Resolution Forum (SETLEN ADRF) has been officially empanelled as a recognized mediation institution by the Main Mediation Monitoring Committee of the Bombay High Court on 16^th February, 2026. This prestigious recognition enables SETLEN ADRF to manage court-referred cases, bolstering the judiciary’s efforts to expedite dispute resolutions outside traditional litigation.

The empanelment marks a significant institutional milestone, placing SETLEN ADRF at the centre of the judiciary’s efforts to promote structured and professionally administered dispute resolution. By being part of this formal framework, SETLEN ADRF is now authorized to assist in matters referred for mediation through the Main Mediation Centre, Bombay High Court. This move is expected to streamline the resolution of civil and commercial disputes, providing litigants with a reliable alternative to protracted courtroom litigation while ensuring that settlements maintain the requisite legal standing.

Furthermore, this development aligns with the Mediation Act, 2023, which has significantly strengthened the ADR landscape by elevating mediated settlement agreements to the status of a court decree and are final, binding, and enforceable in the same manner as a judgment passed by a civil court.

This inclusion reflects SETLEN ADRF’s growing influence in the ADR sector and its unwavering commitment to ethical and resolution-focused services. As the Indian judiciary increasingly emphasizes “Mediation First” principle, SETLEN ADRF’s new status positions is at the forefront of institutional mediation. SETLEN ADRF’s expertise will now be leveraged to handle complex cases, ensuring that the spirit of mediation, confidentiality, neutrality, and party autonomy is upheld at an institutional level.