Justice N.V. Anjaria at Gujarat HC Arbitration Conference: Making Arbitration More Accessible to Common People

Speaking at a conference hosted by Gujarat High Court, Supreme Court Justice N.V. Anjaria emphasized that arbitration should not remain an elite mechanism only for corporates or the wealthy, but must be friendly and accessible to the common person. He highlighted delays, cost, complexity and perceived elitism as barriers. Proposed reforms include simplifying arbitration procedural rules, reducing costs, encouraging smaller disputes to use arbitral forums, ensuring transparency and reducing dependency on high legal costs. Justice Anjaria also noted potential role of institutional arbitration, standardised formats, pro-bono services, legal aid in arbitration, and technology adoption to lower barriers. He emphasized that neutrality, efficiency and enforceability must be preserved but procedural safeguards must balance accessibility.