Ahmedabad, Feb 28 (IANS) The foundation stone of a new building for the Gujarat High Court Arbitration Centre was laid on Saturday by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel at the premises of the High Court.

The programme was organised jointly by the Gujarat High Court Arbitration Centre and the Gujarat State Legal Services Authority under the guidance of the High Court.

Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi and Chief Justice of the Gujarat High Court, Sunita Agarwal, were present along with judges of the Supreme Court and the High Court.

Addressing the gathering, Justice Surya Kant said the new building and the conference on institutional arbitration marked important steps towards strengthening the country’s dispute resolution framework.

He said infrastructure was not merely an administrative necessity but also reflected the credibility of an institution.

“When an international investor or a party enters a professional and well-equipped arbitration centre, it instils confidence that their dispute will be resolved fairly and impartially,” he said.

He noted that Gujarat’s industrial and technological growth had increased the relevance of institutional arbitration, particularly for foreign investors.

Emphasising the need for transparency and fairness, he said, “Trust in arbitration must be built through clear procedures and investment in the quality and training of arbitrators.”

Referring to the launch of the Centre’s digital infrastructure, including its website and newsletter, he said these initiatives would support the development of arbitration in India.

Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel said judicial reforms were being pursued with the objective of developing India as a global arbitration hub and described the initiative as a significant addition to the state’s judicial infrastructure.

Referring to India’s traditional dispute resolution practices, he said: “The concept of ‘Panch Parmeshwar’ in the panchayat system reflected principles similar to modern arbitration. The role of a lawyer was to bring disputing parties together, which he described as central to arbitration.”

He said the state government was committed to strengthening judicial infrastructure with the approach of “Justice for All, Timely Justice”, and noted that more than Rs 2,700 crore had been allocated to the Law Department in the recent state budget.

“Arbitration could support ease of doing business in a state that attracts significant investment by enabling faster resolution of disputes,” he added.

The event also marked the opening of a two-day conference titled “Institutional Arbitration at a Crossroads: Challenges and the Way Forward” at the High Court auditorium.

The Arbitration Centre’s logo was unveiled, and its redesigned website and newsletter were launched on the occasion.

–IANS

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