India, Sept. 26 -- New Delhi

Supreme Court judge Justice BV Nagarathna on Saturday cautioned that mediation in family disputes could further traumatise women who are victims of violence, coercive control or a serious imbalance of power.

Speaking at a regional conference of the Supreme Court Committee for Family Court Matters in Guwahati, she said mediation cannot substitute adjudication and that a woman's bargaining position is as worthy as her legal entitlement.

Sharing her views on "ADR versus Adjudication in Family Disputes", Justice Nagarathna examined the issue from the perspective of women. She said mediation offers speed, privacy and confidentiality, allowing women to reach decisions on the return of stridhan, their children's s...