Centre constitutes Law Commission after 4-year gap

Centre constitutes Law Commission after 4-year gap

The Centre has constituted the Law Commission Of India by appointing former Karnataka High Court Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi as it's chairperson. The post has been lying vacant since September 1, 2018, on the retirement of then-chairman Justice B S Chauhan.

In fresh developments, the Centre has also appointed former Kerala High Court judge Justice K T Sankaran, Prof Anand Paliwal, Prof D P Verma, Prof (Dr) Raka Arya and M Karunanithi as members of the Commission.

Notably, Justice Awasthi, who hailed from Lucknow, had headed a three-judge bench of the Karnataka High Court bench which had on March 15, this year upheld the ban on Hijab in Karnataka's Pre University Colleges.

The Law Commission of India has remained defunct for the last four years.

A PIL was filed by Ashwini Upadhyay in the Supreme Court against the delay in constituting the Law Commission of India.

On a reference made to it by the Union government, top court and High Courts, the Law Commission, undertakes research in law and review existing laws for making reforms therein and enacting new legislations.

It also carries out studies and research for bringing reforms in justice delivery systems for elimination of delay in procedures, speedy disposal of cases, reduction in cost of litigation etc.

The plea by Upadhyay said although the Centre approved setting up of twenty second (22 nd) Law Commission on February 19, 2020, but it has yet not appointed the chairman and members.