In this article, Jeanie Mohanty, of KIIT School of Law has described about the Law Commission of India and its various reports.
Introduction
Law Commission of India is an executive body. It is established through an order of the Government of India. Its core function is to reform laws, comprises of legal experts assigned by the government to take good care of the laws, and create maximum peace, security and justice in the society. It also acts as an advisory body to the Ministry of Law and Justice. The tenure of each Law Commission is five years.
Current Law Commission of India, 2018; 21st Law Commission
| Formation | 10.03.2016 |
| Type | Agency of Government of India |
| Legal status | Ad-hoc and term based |
| Purpose | Legal reforms in India |
| Location | New Delhi |
| Chairman | Justice Balbir Singh Chauhan |
| Full- time member | Justice Ravi R. Tripathy and S. Siva Kumar |
| Part-time members | Satya Pal Jain, Bimal N. Patel and Abhay Bharadwaj |
How does the commission function
The commission consists of many staff among whom around twelve staffs are researchers at a different rank with a different experience. A smaller section of the group looks after the administration of the Commission’s operation. The commission meetings take place frequently and that is where the projects are initiated. Different issues are discussed, among which few important topics are chosen to work on. The required work which is to be done is identified and assigned to each member and the sources of data are also identified. Basically, an outline is formed for the research work regarding how to work and proceed. The commission meeting not only help in identification and working on the issue for research but also gives a unanimous decision of all the members and makes the work process easy.
Once the paper is ready it is circulated among all the required and interested group of people to get their views and comments on the paper along with the paper a questionnaire is also circulated to survey the reaction of the people on the same issue. The Law Commission always try to reach a wider section of people including professionals, academic institutes, and others for consultation while preparing the proposal for law reform. Workshop and seminars are also conducted to collect the critic comments and opinions regarding the planned reform.
Once all the data are collected Commission’s staff evaluates and organises the data in a chronological way for a proper introduction in the report which is prepared by either the Member Secretary or any Member or the Chairman of the Commission. After this, the proposed report is put forward in the Commission’s meeting and observed closely. Once the report and its summary are finalised, the Commision may proceed to prepare a draft regarding amendment or a new bill which may be attached to the report and the final report is forwarded to the Government.
The success rate of the commission always depends on their data collection, public view, and criticism. That is why the Commission always looks up to a wider section where the media plays a very important role in this. The Commission also welcomes the inputs and opinions from public or any person which is sent to the Member-Secretary.
Follow up
The Ministry of Law reviews the Law Commission report with the consultation of the concerned Administrative Ministries then submit it in the Parliament time to time. The reports are referred in courts, education or academics, public discussions and the Government departments act upon it according to the Government recommendation.
Development of Law Commision of India
Reforming laws is a continuous process its been in practice for long decades. In ancient times the custom and practices were the only laws prevailing in the society, gradually the codification of laws started and then the sanctions against the law. Earlier there was no uniformity in law, nor there was any check on the fairness of the decision passed. Therefore the law commission was set up with a motive to serve maximum justice to people and deliver fair and just decisions and bring more awareness about the laws. The Law Commision was constituted in the third decade of the nineteenth century by the Government to codify the branches of law and empowered it to recommend legislative reforms.
Pre-independence
The First Law commission pre-independence was set up in 1834 under the Charter Act, 1833. The chairman of the commission was Lord Macaulay, within a period of fifty years the Indian Statute Book was enriched with a vast variety of legislation which then prevailed in English law but according to India’s condition.
There were four Law commission in India during the British Raj by the British Government
Established |
Chairman |
Members |
Reports |
|
First Pre-Independence Law Commission |
1834 | Lord Macaulay |
|
|
Second Pre-Independence Law Commission |
1853 | Sir John Romilly |
|
|
Third Pre-Independence Law Commission |
1861 | Sir John Romilly | Initially
Subsequently, Sir W. Erle and Justice succeed by Sir W.M. James and J. Henderson. Later J. Henderson was replaced by Justice Lush. |
|
Fourth Pre-Independence Law Commission |
1879 | Dr. Whitley Stokes |
|
|
Post-independence
Post-independence, the Indian Constitution gave a new direction to law reform towards the need for a democratic legal order with its Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles of State Policy in the society. According to Article 372, the pre-constitutional laws were to be followed until and unless they are repealed or amended. Though the parliament and others were already demanding Central Law Commission to revise and change the existing laws as per the changing society and the need of the country. The Government of India was in favour of the idea of setting up of such commission and it established the First Law Commission of India post independence in 1995, the Attorney-General of India then Mr. M.C.Setalvad became the Chairman of that Commission. Since then there have been total twenty-one Law Commissions in India post independence, each with a term of three years with different terms of reference.
Chairman |
Report No. |
Presented in |
Title of Report |
|
First Law Commission, 1955 |
Mr. M.C. Setalvad (First Attorney General of India) | 1 | 1956 | Liability of the State in Tort |
| 2 | 1956 | Parliamentary Legislation relating to Sales Tax | ||
| 3 | 1956 | Limitation Act, 1908 | ||
| 4 | 1956 | On the proposal that High Courts should sit in Benches at different places in a State | ||
| 5 | 1957 | British Statutes Applicable to India | ||
| 6 | 1957 | Registration Act, 1908 | ||
| 7 | 1957 | Partnership Act, 1932 | ||
| 8 | 1958 | Sale of Goods Act, 1930 | ||
| 9 | 1958 | Specific Relief Act, 1877 | ||
| 10 | 1958 | Law of Acquisition and Requisitioning of Law | ||
| 11 | 1958 | Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 | ||
| 12 | 1958 | Income Tax Act, 1922 | ||
| 13 | 1958 | Contract Act, 1872 | ||
| 14 | 1958 | Reform of Judicial Administration | ||
Second Law Commission, 1958 |
Justice T.V. Venkatarama Aiyar | 15 | 1960 | Law relating to Marriage and Divorce amongst Christians in India |
| 16 | 1960 | Official Trustees Act, 1913 | ||
| 17 | 1961 | Report on Trusts Act, 1882 | ||
| 18 | 1961 | Converts’ Marriage Dissolution Act, 1866 | ||
| 19 | 1961 | The Administrator-General’s Act, 1913 | ||
| 20 | 1961 | The Law of Hire-Purchase | ||
| 21 | 1961 | Marine Insurance | ||
| 22 | 1961 | Christian Marriage and Matrimonial Causes Bill,1961 | ||
Third Law Commission, 1961 |
Justice J.L. Kapur | 23 | 1962 | Law of Foreign Marriages |
| 24 | 1962 | The Commission of Inquiry Act, 1952 | ||
| 25 | 1963 | Evidence of Officers about forged stamps, currency notes, etc. Section 509-A Cr.P.C. as proposed | ||
| 26 | 1964 | Insolvency Laws | ||
| 27 | 1964 | The Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 | ||
| 28 | 1964 | The Indian Oaths Act, 1873 | ||
Fourth Law Commission, 1964 |
Justice J.L. Kapur | 29 | 1967 | Proposal to include certain Social and Economic Offences in the Indian Penal Code, 1860 |
| 30 | 1967 | Section 5 of the Central Sales Tax Act, 1956, taxation by the States in the course of import | ||
| 31 | 1967 | Section 30(2) of the Indian Registration Act, 1908 – Extension to Delhi | ||
| 32 | 1967 | Section 9 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 | ||
| 33 | 1967 | Section 44 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 | ||
| 34 | 1967 | Indian Registration Act, 1908 | ||
| 35 | 1967 | Capital Punishment | ||
| 36 | 1967 | Section 497, 498 and 499 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 | ||
| 37 | 1967 | The Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 | ||
| 38 | 1968 | Indian Post Office Act, 1898 | ||
Fifth Law Commission, 1968 |
Mr. K.V.K. Sundaram | 39 | 1968 | Punishment for imprisonment for life under the Indian Penal Code |
| 40 | 1969 | Law relating to attendance of Prisoners in Courts | ||
| 41 | 1969 | The Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 | ||
| 42 | 1971 | Indian Penal Code | ||
| 43 | 1971 | Offences against the National Security | ||
| 44 | 1971 | The Appellate Jurisdiction of the Supreme Court in Civil Matters | ||
Sixth Law Commission, 1971 |
Justice P.B. Gajendragadkar | 45 | 1971 | Civil Appeals to the Supreme Court on a Certificate of Fitness |
| 46 | 1971 | The Constitution (Twenty-Fifth Amendment) Bill, 1971 | ||
| 47 | 1972 | The trial and punishment of Social and Economic Offences | ||
| 48 | 1972 | Some questions under the Code of Criminal Procedure Bill, 1970 | ||
| 49 | 1972 | The proposal for inclusion of agricultural income in the total income | ||
| 50 | 1972 | The proposal to include persons connected with the Public examination within the definition of ‘Public Servant’ | ||
| 51 | 1972 | Compensation of injuries caused by automobiles in hit-and-run cases | ||
| 52 | 1972 | Estate duty on property acquired after death | ||
| 53 | 1972 | Effect of the Pensions Act, 1871 on the right to sue for pensions of retired members of public service | ||
| 54 | 1973 | The Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 | ||
| 55 | 1973 | Rate of Interest after decree and interest on costs under Section 34 and 35 of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 | ||
| 56 | 1973 | Statutory Provision as to the Notice of Suit other than Section 80, Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 | ||
| 57 | 1973 | Benami Transactions | ||
| 58 | 1974 | Stature and Jurisdiction of the Higher Judiciary | ||
| 59 | 1974 | Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 and Special Marriage Act, 1954 | ||
| 60 | 1974 | The General Clauses Act, 1897 | ||
| 61 | 1974 | Certain problems with the power of the States to levy a tax on the sale of goods | ||
Seventh Law commission, 1974 |
Justice P.B. Gajendragadkar | 62 | 1974 | Workmen’s Compensation Act, 1923 |
| 63 | 1975 | The Interest Act, 1839 | ||
| 64 | 1975 | The Suppression of Immoral Traffic in Women and Girls Act, 1956 | ||
| 65 | 1976 | Recognition of Foreign Divorces | ||
| 66 | 1976 | Married Women’s Property Act, 1874 | ||
| 67 | 1977 | The Indian Stamp Act, 1899 | ||
| 68 | 1977 | The Power of Attorney Act, 1882 | ||
| 69 | 1977 | The Indian Evidence Act, 1872 | ||
| 70 | 1977 | The Transfer of Property Act, 1882 | ||
Eighth Law Commission, 1977 |
Justice H.R. Khanna | 71 | 1978 | Irretrievable breakdown of marriage as a ground for divorce |
| 72 | 1978 | Restriction on practice after being a permanent judge | ||
| 73 | 1978 | Criminal liability for failure by the husband to pay maintenance or permanent alimony granted to the wife | ||
| 74 | 1978 | Proposal to amend the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 so as to render Admissible certain statements made by witnesses before Commissions of Inquiry and other Statutory Authorities | ||
| 75 | 1978 | Disciplinary jurisdiction under the Advocates Act, 1961 | ||
| 76 | 1979 | Arbitration Act, 1940 | ||
| 77 | 1979 | Delay and arrears in trial courts | ||
| 78 | 1979 | Congestion of under trial persons in jails | ||
| 79 | 1979 | Delays and arrears in High Courts and other Appellate Courts | ||
| 80 | 1979 | Method of Appointment of Judges | ||
Ninth Law Commission,1979 |
Justice P.V. Dixit | 81 | 1979 | Hindu Widows Remarriage Act, 1856 |
| 82 | 1980 | Effect of nomination under Section 39, Insurance Act, 1938 | ||
| 83 | 1980 | The Guardian and Wards Act, 1890 | ||
| 84 | 1980 | Rape and allied offences-some questions of substantive law, procedure, and evidence | ||
| 85 | 1980 | Claims for compensation under Chapter 8 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939 | ||
| 86 | 1980 | The Partition Act, 1893 | ||
| 87 | 1980 | Identification of Prisoners Act, 1920 | ||
Tenth Law Commission, 1981 |
Justice K.K. Mathew | 88 | 1983 | Governmental Privileges in Evidence |
| 89 | 1983 | The Limitation Act, 1963 | ||
| 90 | 1983 | The Grounds for Divorce amongst Christians in India | ||
| 91 | 1983 | Dowry deaths and law reform | ||
| 92 | 1983 | Damages in applications for Judicial Review Recommendations for legislation | ||
| 93 | 1983 | Disclosures of sources of information by mass media | ||
| 94 | 1983 | Evidence obtained illegally or improperly | ||
| 95 | 1984 | Constitutional Division within Supreme Court | ||
| 96 | 1984 | Repeal of certain obsolete Central Acts | ||
| 97 | 1984 | Section 28 of the Indian Contract Act, 1872: prescriptive clauses in contracts | ||
| 98 | 1984 | Sections 24 to 26 of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 | ||
| 99 | 1984 | Oral and written arguments in the Higher courts | ||
| 100 | 1984 | Litigation by and against the Government | ||
| 101 | 1984 | Freedom of Speech and Expression under Article 19 of the Constitution | ||
| 102 | 1984 | Section 122(1) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 | ||
| 103 | 1984 | Unfair Terms in contracts | ||
| 104 | 1984 | The Judicial Officers’ Protection Act, 1850 | ||
| 105 | 1984 | Quality control and inspection of consumer goods | ||
| 106 | 1984 | Section 103A, Motor Vehicles Act, 1939 | ||
| 107 | 1984 | Law of Citizenship | ||
| 108 | 1984 | Promissory Estoppel | ||
| 109 | 1985 | Obscene and Indecent Advertisements and Displays | ||
| 110 | 1985 | Indian Succession Act, 1925 | ||
| 111 | 1985 | Fatal Accidents Act, 1855 | ||
| 112 | 1985 | Section 45 of the Insurance Act, 1938 | ||
| 113 | 1985 | Injuries in Police Custody | ||
Eleventh Law commission, 1985 |
Justice D.A. Desai | 114 | 1986 | Gram Nyayalaya |
| 115 | 1986 | Tax Courts | ||
| 116 | 1986 | Formation of an All India Judicial Service | ||
| 117 | 1986 | Training of Judicial Officers | ||
| 118 | 1986 | Method of appointment to subordinate courts | ||
| 119 | 1987 | Access to Exclusive Forum for victims of motor accidents | ||
| 120 | 1987 | Manpower planning in Judiciary | ||
| 121 | 1987 | A new forum for Judicial Appointments | ||
| 122 | 1987 | Forum for National uniformity in Labour Adjudication | ||
| 123 | 1988 | Decentralization in Administration of Justice | ||
| 124 | 1988 | The High Court Arrears – A fresh look | ||
| 125 | 1988 | The Supreme Court – A fresh look | ||
| 126 | 1988 | Government and Public Sector Undertaking Litigation policy and Strategies | ||
| 127 | 1988 | Resource Allocation for Infra-Structural Services in Judicial Administration | ||
| 128 | 1988 | Cost of Litigation | ||
| 129 | 1988 | Urban Litigation – Mediation as alternative to Litigation | ||
| 130 | 1988 | Benami Transactions : A continuum | ||
| 131 | 1988 | Role of legal profession in Administration of Justice | ||
Twelfth Law Commission, 1988 |
Justice M.P. Thakkar | 132 | 1989 | Need for Amendment of the Provisions of the Chapter IX of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 in order to ameliorate the hardship and mitigate the distress of Neglected Women, Children and Parents |
| 133 | 1989 | Removal of discrimination against Women in matters relating to Guardianship and Custody of Minor Children and Elaboration of the Welfare Principle | ||
| 134 | 1989 | Removing Deficiencies in certain provisions of the Workmen’s Compensation Act, 1923 | ||
| 135 | 1989 | Women in Custody | ||
| 136 | 1990 | Conflicts in High Court decisions on Central Laws – How to foreclose and how to resolve | ||
| 137 | 1990 | Need for creating office of Ombudsman | ||
| 138 | 1990 | Legislative Protection for Slum and Pavement Dwellers | ||
| 139 | 1991 | Urgent need to amend Order XXI, Rule 92(2), Civil Procedure Code, 1908 | ||
| 140 | 1991 | Need to amend Order V, Rule 19A of the Civil Procedure Code, 1908 | ||
| 141 | 1991 | Need for amending the laws as regards power of courts to resolve criminal revisional applications and criminal cases dismissed for default in appearance | ||
| 142 | 1991 | Confessional treatment for offenders who on their own initiative choose to plead guilty without any bargaining | ||
| 143 | 1991 | Legislative safeguards for protecting the small depositors from exploitation | ||
Thirteenth Law Commission, 1991 |
Justice K.N. Singh | 144 | 1992 | Conflicting Judicial decisions pertaining to the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 |
| 145 | 1992 | Article 12 of the Constitution and Public Sector Undertakings | ||
| 146 | 1993 | Sale of Women and Children: Proposed Section 373-A, Indian Penal Code | ||
| 147 | 1993 | The Specific Relief Act, 1963 | ||
| 148 | 1993 | Repeal of Certain pre-1947 Central Acts | ||
| 149 | 1994 | Removal of certain deficiencies in the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 (Act No. 59 of 1988) | ||
| 150 | 1994 | Suggesting some Amendments to the Code of Civil Procedure (Act No. V of 1908) | ||
| 151 | 1994 | Admiralty Jurisdiction | ||
| 152 | 1994 | Custodial Crimes | ||
| 153 | 1994 | Inter-Country Adoption | ||
Fourteenth Law Commission, 1995 |
Justice K. Jayachandra Reddy | 154 | 1996 | The Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (Act No. 2 of 1974) |
| 155 | 1997 | The Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985(Act No. 61 of 1985) | ||
| 156 | 1997 | The Indian Penal Code | ||
Fifteenth Law Commission, 1997 |
Justice B.P. Jeevan Reddy | 157 | 1998 | Section 52:Transfer of Property Act, 1882 and its Amendment |
| 158 | 1998 | The Amendment of the Industries (Development and Regulation) Act, 1951 | ||
| 159 | 1998 | Repeal and Amendment of Laws: Part I | ||
| 160 | 1998 | Amendment to the All India Council for Technical Education Act, 1987 (Act No. 52 of 1987) | ||
| 161 | 1998 | Central Vigilance Commission and Allied Bodies | ||
| 162 | 1998 | Review of functioning of Central Administrative Tribunal, Customs, Excise and Gold (Control) Appellate Tribunal and Income-Tax Appellate Tribunal | ||
| 163 | 1998 | The Code of Civil Procedure (Amendment) Bill, 1997 | ||
| 164 | 1998 | The Indian Divorce Act, 1869 (Act IV of 1869) | ||
| 165 | 1998 | Free and Compulsory Education for Children | ||
| 166 | 1999 | The Corrupt Public Servants (forfeiture of property) Bill | ||
| 167 | 1999 | The Patents (Amendment) Bill, 1998 | ||
| 168 | 1999 | The Hire-Purchase Act,1972 | ||
| 169 | 1999 | Amendment of Army, Navy and Air Force Act | ||
| 170 | 1999 | Reform of Electoral Laws | ||
| 171 | 2000 | The Biodiversity Bill, 2000 | ||
| 172 | 2000 | Review of Rape Laws | ||
| 173 | 2000 | Prevention of Terrorism Bill, 2000 | ||
| 174 | 2000 | Property Rights of Women: Proposed Reforms Under the Hindu Law | ||
Sixteenth Law Commission, 2000 |
Justice B.P. Jeevan Reddy | 175 | 2000 | The Foreigners (Amendment) Bill, 2000 |
| 176 | 2001 | The Arbitration and Conciliation (Amendment) Bill, 2002 | ||
| 177 | 2001 | Law Relating to Arrest | ||
| 178 | 2001 | Recommendations for amending various enactments, both civil and criminal | ||
| 179 | 2001 | Public Interest Disclosure and Protection of Informers | ||
| 180 | 2002 | Article 20 (3) of the Constitution of India and Right to Silence | ||
| 181 | 2002 | Amendment to Section 106 of the Transfer of Property Act, 1882 | ||
| 182 | 2002 | Amendment of Section 6 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 | ||
| 183 | 2002 | A Continuum on the General Clauses Act, 1897 with special reference to the admissibility and codification of external aids to interpretation of statutes | ||
| 184 | 2002 | Legal Education & Professional Training and Proposals for amendments to the Advocates Act, 1961 and the University Grants Commission Act, 1956 | ||
| 185 | 2003 | Review of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 | ||
Seventeenth Law Commission, 2003 |
Justice M. Jagannadha Rao | 186 | 2003 | Proposal to Constitute Environment Courts |
| 187 | 2003 | Mode of Execution of Death Sentence and Incidental Matters | ||
| 188 | 2003 | The Proposals for Constitution of Hi-Tech Fast – Track Commercial Divisions in High Courts | ||
| 189 | 2004 | Revision of Court Fees Structure | ||
| 190 | 2004 | The Revision of the Insurance Act, 1938 and the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority Act, 1999 | ||
| 191 | 2004 | Regulation of Funds collected for Calamity Relief. | ||
| 192 | 2005 | Prevention of vexatious Litigation | ||
| 193 | 2005 | Transnational Litigation, Conflict of Laws, Law of Limitation | ||
| 194 | 2005 | Verification of Stamp Duties and Registration of Arbitral Awards | ||
| 195 | 2006 | The Judges (Inquiry) Bill, 2005 | ||
| 196 | 2006 | Medical Treatment to Terminally Ill Patients (Protection of Patients and Medical Practitioners) | ||
| 197 | 2006 | Public Prosecutor’s Appointments | ||
| 198 | 2006 | Witness Identity Protection and Witness Protection Programmes | ||
| 199 | 2006 | Unfair (Procedural and Substantive) Terms in Contracts | ||
| 200 | 2006 | Trial by Media : Free Speech Vs. Fair Trial Under Criminal Procedure (Amendments to the Contempt of Court Act, 1971) | ||
| 201 | 2006 | Medical Treatment after Accidents and During Emergency Medical Condition and Women in Labour | ||
Eighteenth Law Commission, 2006 |
Justice M. Jagannadha Rao
(1st September, 2006 – 28th May 2007) Justice A.R. Lakshmanan (28th May 2007 – 31st August, 2009) |
202 | 2007 | Proposal to Amend Section 304-B of the Indian Penal Code |
| 203 | 2007 | Section 438 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 as Amended by the Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Act, 2005 (Anticipatory Bail) | ||
| 204 | 2008 | Proposal to Amend the Hindu Succession Act, 1956 as amended by Act 39 of 2005 | ||
| 205 | 2008 | Proposal to Amend the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 and other allied Laws | ||
| 206 | 2008 | Proposal for the enactment of new Coroners Act applicable to the whole of India | ||
| 207 | 2008 | Proposal to amend Section 15 of the Hindu Succession Act, 1956 in case a female dies intestate leaving herself acquired property with no heirs | ||
| 208 | 2008 | Proposal for the amendment of explanation to Section 6 of the Hindu Succession Act, 1956 to include oral partition and family arrangement on the definition of ‘partition’ | ||
| 209 | 2008 | Proposal for the omission of Section 213 from the Indian Succession Act, 1925 | ||
| 210 | 2008 | Humanization and Decriminalization of Attempt to Suicide | ||
| 211 | 2008 | Laws on Registration of Marriages and Divorce – A proposal for Consolidation and Reform | ||
| 212 | 2008 | Laws of Civil Marriage in India – A proposal to Resolve Certain Conflicts | ||
| 213 | 2008 | Fast Track Magisterial Courts for Dishonoured Cheque Cases | ||
| 214 | 2008 | Proposal for reconsideration of Judges Case I, II and III – S P Gupta Vs, UOI | ||
| 215 | 2008 | L. Chandra Kumar be revisited by Larger Bench of Supreme Court | ||
| 216 | 2008 | Non-Feasibility of the introduction of Hindi as the compulsory language in the Supreme Court of India | ||
| 217 | 2009 | Irretrievable Breakdown of Marriage – Another Ground for Divorce | ||
| 218 | 2009 | Need to accede to the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction (1980) | ||
| 219 | 2009 | Need for Family Law Legislations for Non-resident Indians | ||
| 220 | 2009 | Need to fix Maximum Chargeable Court-fees in Subordinate Civil Courts | ||
| 221 | 2009 | Need for Speedy Justice – Some Suggestions | ||
| 222 | 2009 | Need for Justice-dispensation through ADR etc. | ||
| 223 | 2009 | Need for Ameliorating the lot of the Have-nots – Supreme Court’s judgments | ||
| 224 | 2009 | Amendment of Section 2 of the Divorce Act 1869 Enabling Non-domiciled Estranged Christian Wives to seek Divorce. | ||
| 225 | 2009 | Amendment of Sections 7, 7A, and 7B of Industrial Disputes Act 1947 Making Advocates Eligible to man Labour Courts and Industrial Tribunals. | ||
| 226 | 2009 | The Inclusion of Acid Attacks as Specific Offences in the Indian Penal Code and a Law for Compensation for Victims of Crime. | ||
| 227 | 2009 | Preventing Bigamy via Conversion to Islam – A Proposal for giving Statutory Effect to Supreme Court Rulings | ||
| 228 | 2009 | Need For Legislation to Regulate Assisted Reproductive Technology Clinics as Well as Rights and Obligations of Parties to a Surrogacy | ||
| 229 | 2009 | Need for the division of the Supreme Court into a Constitution Bench at Delhi and Cassation Benches in four regions at Delhi, Chennai/ Hyderabad, Kolkata and Mumbai | ||
| 230 | 2009 | Reforms in the Judiciary – Some suggestions | ||
| 231 | 2009 | Amendments in Indian Stamp Act 1899 And Court-Fees Act 1870 Permitting Different Modes of Payment | ||
| 232 | 2009 | Retirement Age of Chairpersons and Members of Tribunals – Need for Uniformity | ||
| 233 | 2009 | Amendment of Code of Criminal Procedure Enabling Restoration of Complaints | ||
| 234 | 2009 | Legal Reforms to Combat Road Accidents | ||
Nineteenth Law Commission, 2009 |
Justice P.V. Reddi | 235 | 2010 | Conversion/reconversion to another religion – mode of proof |
| 236 | 2010 | Court-fees in Supreme Court vis-à-vis Corporate Litigation | ||
| 237 | 2011 | Compounding of (IPC) offences | ||
| 238 | 2011 | Amendment of Section 89 of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 and Allied provisions | ||
| 239 | 2012 | Expeditious Investigation and Trial of Criminal Cases Against 2012 Influential Public Personalities | ||
| 240 | 2012 | Costs in Civil Litigation | ||
| 241 | 2012 | Passive Euthanasia – A Relook | ||
| 242 | 2012 | Prevention of Interference with the freedom of Matrimonial Alliances 2012 (in the name of Honour and Tradition ): A suggested legal framework | ||
| 243 | 2012 | Section 498 A, IPC | ||
Twentieth Law Commission, 2013 |
Justice D.K. Jain
(January, 2013 – October, 2013) Justice A.P. Shah (November, 2013 – August, 2015) |
244 | 2014 | Electoral Disqualifications |
| 245 | 2014 | Arrears and Backlog: Creating Additional Judicial (wo) manpower | ||
| 246 | 2014 | Amendments to the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 | ||
| 247 | 2014 | Sections 41 to 48 of the Indian Succession Act,1925 – Proposed Reforms | ||
| 248 | 2014 | Obsolete Laws: Warranting Immediate Repeal (Interim Report) | ||
| 249 | 2014 | Obsolete Laws: Warranting Immediate Repeal (Second Interim Report) | ||
| 250 | 2014 | Obsolete Laws: Warranting Immediate Repeal (Third Interim Report) | ||
| 251 | 2014 | Obsolete Laws: Warranting Immediate Repeal (Fourth Interim Report) | ||
| 252 | 2015 | Right of the Hindu Wife to Maintenance: A relook at Section 18 of the Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act, 1956 | ||
| 253 | 2015 | Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division of High Courts and Commercial Courts Bill, 2015 | ||
| 254 | 2015 | The Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill, 2013 | ||
| 255 | 2015 | Electoral Reforms | ||
| 256 | 2015 | Eliminating Discrimination Against Persons Affected by Leprosy | ||
| 257 | 2015 | Reforms in Guardianship and Custody Laws in India | ||
| 258 | 2015 | Prevention of Bribery of Foreign Public Officials and Officials of Public International Organisations – A Study and Proposed Amendments | ||
| 259 | 2015 | Early Childhood Development and Legal Entitlement | ||
| 260 | 2015 | Analysis of the 2015 Draft Model Indian Bilateral Investment Treaty | ||
| 261 | 2015 | Need to Regulate Pet Shops and Dog and Aquarium Fish Breeding | ||
| 262 | 2015 | The Death Penalty | ||
Twenty-First Law Commission, 2015 |
Justice Balbir Singh Chauhan | 263 | 2016 | The Protection of Children (Inter-Country Removal and Retention) Bill |
| 264 | 2017 | The Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill (Provisions dealing with Food Adulteration) | ||
| 265 | 2017 | Prospects of Exempting Income arising out of Maintenance Money of ‘Minor’ | ||
| 266 | 2017 | The Advocates Act, 1961 (Regulation of Legal Profession) | ||
| 267 | 2017 | Hate Speech | ||
| 268 | 2017 | Amendments to Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 – Provisions Relating to Bail | ||
| 269 | 2017 | Housekeeping of Egg-Laying Hens | ||
| 270 | 2017 | Compulsory Registration of Marriages | ||
| 271 | 2017 | Human DNA profiling | ||
| 272 | 2017 | Assessment of Statutory Frameworks of Tribunals in India | ||
| 273 | 2017 | Implementation of United Nations Convention against Torture | ||
| 274 | 2018 | Review of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 | ||
| 275 | 2018 | Legal Framework: BCCI vis-a-vis Right to Information Act, 2005 |
To view all the reports of Law Commission of India click here
The terms of reference of the Twenty-first Law Commission
1. Review or Repeal of absolute laws
- Identify repeal the laws which are no more in need or relevant.
- Identify the laws and the need to change them which are not in sync with the current economic condition and liberalisation.
- Identify laws which require change or amendment and make a suggestion for the same
- Consider the recommendation for revision or amendments by the experts in a wider sense with a view of coordination and harmonisation.
- Consider the references made by the Ministries, Departments through the Department of Legal Affairs, Ministry of law and justice in respect of legislation working on more than one Ministry or Department.
- Suggest quick remedies to serve justice to the citizens through law.
2. Law and Poverty
- Identify the laws which are affecting the poor section in the society and conduct a post audit for socio-economic legislation.
- All necessary requirement and support must be taken to ensure that legal service is provided to the poor.
3. Keep under review the administration of justice to make sure that justice is delivered on time and it is secured;
- Eliminate delays, faster clearance of errors, reduce the cost of the procedure and make it economical but without infringing the basic principle that the decision should be just and fair.
- Simplify the procedure and eliminate the complexity that becomes a hindrance to achieving justice.
- Improve the standard of the justice administration.
- Examine the present laws in the light of Directive Principles of State Policy, suggest the ways to improve, reform and suggest legislation if necessary to implement the Directive Principles and attain the objectives as per the Preamble to the Constitution.
- Examine the present laws in the view to promote gender equality and suggest amendments for the same.
- Revise the Central Acts of general importance to simplify them, and remove the deviations from the standard, inequality and conflicts.
- Recommend the Government to up-to-date the statute book, by repealing the laws, enactments or part thereof which are not in use and have been exhausted.
- Observe deliberately and convey the Government about its opinion regarding any law and judicial administration that may be particularly referred to it by the Government through the Department of Legal Affairs (Ministry of Law and Justice).
- Requests for providing research to any foreign country as referred by the Government through the Department of Legal Affairs (Ministry of Law and Justice) should be considered.
- Impact of globalization on food security and unemployment to be examined also suggest measures to protect the interest of the discriminated group of people.
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