New Delhi: The government has officially notified the constitution of the 23rd Law Commission for a period of three years, with the provision to appoint serving Supreme Court and High Court judges as its chairperson and members. The Law Commission plays a crucial role in advising the government on complex legal issues.
The term of the 22nd Law Commission ended on August 31, and the new panel has been constituted effective from September 1, according to an order issued by the Ministry of Law and Justice late Monday. This move marks the transition to the 23rd Law Commission, which will continue to guide the government on legal reforms.
Notably, while previous commissions had provisions for appointing serving judges, the recent practice has been to appoint retired judges from the Supreme Court or former Chief Justices of High Courts as the chairperson. The 22nd Law Commission, which had been functioning without a chairperson for several months, saw its term conclude with a significant report on the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) still in progress.
The new commission will include a full-time chairperson and four full-time members, including a member-secretary. The secretaries of the Department of Legal Affairs and the Legislative Department will serve as ex-officio members, with the option to appoint up to five part-time members. The panel’s chairperson and members who are serving judges will perform their duties on a whole-time basis until their retirement or the commission’s term ends.
This reconstitution ensures the continuity of the Law Commission’s essential advisory role, with ongoing reports like those on simultaneous elections awaiting submission to the Law Ministry.
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