Politics · India · 5 hrs ago
India asks ministries to identify outdated cases for withdrawal
India’s cabinet secretary has asked ministries to find cases that can be withdrawn after changes to the law.
The review covers cases affected by the Jan Vishwas Act, which decriminalised some offences, and by the removal of obsolete legal provisions.
The central government has more than 350,000 cases pending for over five years, including more than 100,000 legacy cases across 19 high courts.
The revenue department has the most long-pending cases, followed by the railways and the department of military affairs.
The review aims to reduce the government’s litigation burden by dropping cases that may have lost relevance under the changed laws.
Ministries were asked to complete the exercise by the end of October, and a new portal is planned for November to track cases, appeals, mediation and reviews.
Cabinet secretary T V Somanathan has directed ministries and departments to identify cases that can be withdrawn after legal changes.
The review aims to reduce the central government’s litigation burden and avoid pursuing cases that may no longer be relevant.
Ministries have been asked to complete the exercise by the end of the month.
More than 3.5 lakh central government litigations have been pending for over five years.
A litigation management portal is planned for November to monitor case reviews and litigation management.
- Who
- Cabinet secretary T V Somanathan directed secretaries of ministries and departments to review cases.
- What
- Ministries must identify cases for withdrawal following decriminalisation and removal of obsolete legal provisions.
- When
- The exercise is to be completed by the end of the month. A litigation management portal is planned for November.
- Where
- India.
- Why
- The government aims to reduce its litigation burden and avoid pursuing cases that may have lost relevance after legal changes.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The first of two rounds of Jan Vishwas legislation decriminalised and rationalised sections of central laws.
A second round of Jan Vishwas legislation decriminalised and rationalised sections of central laws.
Ministries and departments were asked to complete the review of cases for possible withdrawal.
A litigation management portal is planned to monitor litigation management and case reviews.
- Pending cases
- Over 3.5 lakh central government litigations have been pending for more than five years.
- Legacy cases
- Over one lakh cases across 19 high courts.
- Largest departmental caseload
- Revenue department: 1.27 lakh cases pending for more than five years.
- Railways
- 45,583 cases pending for more than five years.
- Review deadline
- End of the month
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litigation management portal