Question : REVIEW OF LAWS

(a) whether the Government has any provision to review various laws/put in place a system to repeal old laws in the country;

(b) if so, the details thereof; and

(c) if not, the reasons therefor?

MINISTER OF LAW AND JUSTICE AND COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI KAPIL SIBAL)

(a) to (c): There is no specific provision to review various laws and repeal old laws in the country. However, review and repeal of all laws, including those enacted during the British era, with a view to bring them in harmony with the current economic, social and political situation in the country is a continuous process. This task is undertaken by the different nodal Ministries/Departments of the Central Government administering their respective laws and generally by the Law Commission of India. Further, the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pension had already set up a Committee on Review of Administrative Laws on 8th May, 1998, with the objective of examining the need of amendments in and repeal of laws, among others. The said Committee submitted its report to the Government on 30th September, 1998 and the salient recommendations of the Committee included, among others, amendment of laws/rules, review of Acts of critical importance and repeal of dysfunctional / irrelevant laws. The implementation of the report submitted by the said Committee on Review of Administrative Laws is being monitored by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances. Government of India has constituted Twentieth Law Commission with effect from 1st September, 2012 for three-year`s term. The Terms of Reference of the said Law Commission includes `Review/Repeal of obsolete laws`.