President Droupadi Murmu has approved the creation of the 23rd Law Commission of India. This new commission will be active from September 1, 2024, to August 31, 2027. The 22nd Law Commission’s term ended recently, and the formation of the new commission will help address delays in pending reports caused by the absence of a chairperson.
Structure of the Commission
The 23rd Law Commission will include:
- Chairperson: A full-time leader who will head the commission.
- Full-Time Members: Four full-time members, including a Member-Secretary.
- Ex-Officio Members: Two members who are Secretaries of the Legal and Legislative Departments.
- Part-Time Members: Up to five part-time members.
Purpose of the Law Commission
The main goal of the Law Commission is to review the Indian legal system and suggest improvements. The commission focuses on making laws more effective and relevant to current needs.
Pending Issues from the Previous Commission
The 22nd Law Commission faced challenges after its Chairman, Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, resigned. This led to delays in addressing important topics like the Uniform Civil Code and the idea of holding simultaneous elections across the country.
Objectives of the 23rd Commission
The 23rd Law Commission has several key objectives:
- Review and Repeal of Obsolete Laws: Identifying outdated laws that are no longer needed and suggesting their removal. They will also create a process for regularly reviewing laws.
- Law and Poverty: Evaluating how laws impact economically disadvantaged people and recommending changes to benefit them.
- Judicial Administration: Finding ways to reduce court delays and make the legal process more efficient.
- Directive Principles and Constitutional Objectives: Ensuring that current laws align with the Directive Principles of State Policy, which guide the government’s policies.
- Gender Equality: Proposing changes to laws to promote equality between men and women.
- Revision of Central Acts: Simplifying important Central Acts (laws passed by Parliament) to make them easier to understand and apply.
- Government References: Addressing specific legal issues referred to them by the government.
- International Research Assistance: Providing legal research support to other countries.
- Globalization Impact: Assessing how globalization affects key social issues, such as food security.
Additional Provisions
The Commission will consult with relevant stakeholders before making recommendations. These recommendations will be documented in both Hindi and English and made accessible online. The Commission will also collaborate with educational institutions to support legal research and education initiatives.
