Lok Sabha Question No. 2020 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-10
Subject: Review of Outdated Laws
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: THOKCHOM MEINYA, R.K. BHARATHI MOHAN, E. T. MOHAMMED BASHEER

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2020

## TO BE ANSWERED ON THURSDAY, THE 10 th  DECEMBER, 2015

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## Review of Outdated Laws

## 2020. DR. THOKCHOM MEINYA:

## SHRI BHARATHI MOHAN R.K.:

## SHRI E.T.MOHAMMED BASHEER:

Will the Minister of LAW AND JUSTICE be pleased to state:

- (a) the present status of progress achieved regarding repealing of obsolete/outdated Acts/Laws in the Country;
- (b)  the  present  status  of  the  action  taken  on  the  recommendations  given  by  the  Law Commission of India and various other committees including the Committee chaired by Shri R.Ramanujan on the subject;
- (c ) the total number of such laws identified to be repealed along with the number of such laws repealed so far during 2014-15; and
- (d) the steps taken/being taken by the Government to expedite the process?

## A N S W E R

## MINISTER OF LAW AND JUSTICE (SHRI D.V. SADANANDA GOWDA)

- (a) to (d): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## Statement referred to in reply to parts (a) to (d) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No.2020 to be answered on 10-12-2015 regarding 'Review of Outdated Laws'.

(a)  to  (d): Review  of  all  laws  with  a  view  to  bring  them  in  harmony  with  the  current economic,  social  and  political  situation  in  the  country  is  a  continuous  process.  The  Twomember Committee chaired by Shri R. Ramanujan has, inter alia identified a total number of 1741 Acts for repeal and the Law Commission of India has, inter alia identified 289 obsolete Acts  for  repeal  in  their  Reports  No.  248 th ,  249 th ,  250 th and  251 st on  'Obsolete  Laws: Warranting Immediate Repeal'.

Further,  on  the  issue  of  repealing  of  obsolete  Central  laws  that  have  outlived  their utility, the Government has examined the said reports and has identified 777 Central Actsfor repeal wholly or in part. 83 Central Acts relating to State subjects are to be repealed by State Legislatures. 624 Central Appropriation Acts enacted upto the year 2010 and 257 Appropriation  Acts  enacted  by  Parliament  for  the  States  under  President's  Rule  are  to  be repealed by the States. The Government has also examined the 248 th ,  249 th ,  250 th and 251 st Reports  of  Law  Commission  on  'Obsolete  Laws:  Warranting  Immediate  Repeal'  where  it recommended for repeal of 72, 113, 74 and 30 obsolete Acts respectively.

On the basis of the comments/views of the concerned administrative Ministries/Departments, 'The Repealing and Amending Bill, 2014' proposing to repeal 35 Acts  has  been  enacted  by  Parliament  as  Act  No.  17  of  2015  and  'the  Repealing  and Amending  (Second)  Bill,  2014'  proposing  to  repeal  90  obsolete  amending  Acts  has  been enacted as Act No. 19 of 2015. Further, the Government has also introduced a Bill, namely, 'the Appropriation Acts (Repeal) Bill, 2015' seeking to repeal 758 Appropriation Acts which has  been  passed  by  Lok  Sabha  and  is  pending  in  Rajya  Sabha.  Also  'the  Repealing  and Amending (Third) Bill, 2015' seeking to repeal 295 Acts has been passed by Lok Sabha and is pending in Rajya Sabha. The Government is actively pursuing the matter to repeal the Acts identified  for  repeal.  Total  1827  Acts  have  been  identified  for  repeal  and  125  Acts  were repealed during 2014-15.