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Commission recommends repeal of 1300 central laws

The commission headed by P C Jain to review administrative laws has recommended repeal of 1,300 of the 2,500 central laws in force.

The repeal has been recommended on the ground that these laws have become either irrelevant or dysfunctional, Minister of State for Personnel M R Janardhanan told the Lok Sabha today while giving a summary of Jain's report.

The laws recommended for repeal are 166 central acts (including 11 pre-nationalisation acts and 20 validations acts), 315 amendment acts, 11 British statutes still in force, 17 war-time permanent ordinances, 114 central acts relating to state subjects and 700 appropriation acts passed by Parliament, Janardhanan said in a written reply

According to the report, there is a need to study the entire complex of laws, regulations and procedures affecting the quality of life of the poor and disadvantaged sections of society in a focused manner.

Janardhanan said the government has constituted a standing committee under the chairmanship of the secretary, personnel, for monitoring the follow-up action on the recommendations. The committee will meet regularly and evolve suitable strategies for implementing the recommendations.

The report says all the ministries/departments should compile up-to-date information about rules, regulations, orders and procedures under different central laws administered by them, including manuals in respect of areas which are important from the point of view of the general public.

Expeditious amendments should be considered in respect of a critical list of about 109 laws including those regarding which action has been initiated.

The report says there is a need also four unification and harmonisation of statutes, laws and regulations with reference to the perspective of domestic and foreign investors, trade and industry, consumers, builders, exporters and importers. In this process, the government should simplify the language used in all regulations, rules and rules and orders.

Specific proposals have been formulated on the regulatory frameworks relating to housing and real estate, company law, banking, foreign direct investment, industry, consumer affairs, health, environment, labour, income-tax, excise customs, exim policy and procedural issues, issues, and power. In these recommendations, the effort has been to keep in front the problems and needs of the user groups, apart from the administrative requirements of efficiency, coordination and economy.

The commission has recommended expansion of the system of alternate disputes resolution and more effective utilisation of the arbitration and conciliation act. The commission has also recommended entrustment of pending cases of subordinate courts to the Lok Adalats.

UNI

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