Topics Covered: Various statutory and constitutional bodies.
Law commission of India
What to study?
For Prelims: Composition, objectives and functions.
For Mains: Significance, issues related and reforms needed.
Context: The Union Cabinet has approved the creation of the 22nd Law Commission, which advises the government on complex legal issues.
- The term of the previous law panel had ended in August last year.
- With the cabinet approval, the law ministry will now notify the new panel, which will have a term of three years.
Composition:
- Apart from having a full-time chairperson, the commission will have four full-time members, including a member-secretary.
- Law and Legislative Secretaries in the Law Ministry will be the ex-officio members of the commission.
- It will also have not more than five part-time members.
- A retired Supreme Court judge or Chief Justice of a High Court will head the Commission.
Roles and functions:
- The Law Commission shall, on a reference made to it by the Central Government or suo motu, undertake research in law and review of existing laws in India for making reforms and enacting new legislation.
- It shall also undertake studies and research for bringing reforms in the justice delivery systems for elimination of delay in procedures, speedy disposal of cases, reduction in cost of litigation, etc.
About the law commission of India:
It is an executive body established by an order of the Government of India.
- Originally formed in 1955, the commission is reconstituted every three years and so far, 277 reports have been submitted to the government.
- The last Law Commission, under Justice B.S. Chauhan (retd.), had submitted reports and working papers on key issues such as simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and the Assemblies and a uniform civil code.
Prior to independence, the First Law Commission was established in 1834 by the British Government under the Chairmanship of Lord Macaulay.
Sources: pib.
