The Shahi Masjid in Public Gardens, which witnesses hundreds of the devout each day engaged in prayer and contemplation, will soon host a mediation centre in a bid to provide accessible dispute resolution services to the public.
“The initiative is supported by the Telangana State Legal Services Authority (TSLSA). The idea is to give free and impartial mediation for disputes to people, irrespective of the faith to which they belong,” Shahi Masjid Khateeb Maulana Ahsan bin Mohammed al-Hamoomi told The Hindu.
Ifadah Community Mediation Centre, as it will be known, will be inaugurated on this Saturday.
Explaining the genesis of the idea, Maulana Hamoomi said that a conversation with a police officer brought to his attention several issues families and individuals were grappling with. “On one side of the masjid, not too far away, is the criminal court. On the other is the Central Crime Station. A policeman once came to me and said how lives were being ruined because of petty disputes. That is how the idea came about. The Centre will follow the Mediation Act, 2023,” he said, adding that timely guidance of the Telangana State Legal Services Authority has been sought, which includes training sessions.
The Shahi Masjid, also hosts a legal cell that began in 2018. Manned by two experienced lawyers, services here were initiated so as to offer second opinions on legal matters and help people resolve disputes outside the courtroom. Advice to hundreds of beneficiaries were given, Maulana Hamoomi said.
The Ifadah Community Mediation Centre, he explained, will follow all rules, and regulations. He clarified that the facility would not function as a Darul Qaza. Per stipulations, utmost confidentiality would be maintained, and services would be given free of charge, he said. The Centre will have its doors open on all working days, with dedicated mediation and conciliation sessions scheduled for every Saturday.
Published – May 23, 2025 09:16 pm IST
