The Law Commission advises the government on legal issues, conducts research to review and reform the law or to bring new legislation.
The Union Cabinet Wednesday approved setting up of the 22nd Law Commission, more than five months after the end of the 21st Law Commission’s tenure.
The commission will be formed for a three-year period with a chairperson, four full-time members, a maximum of five part-time members and secretaries of the Department of Legal Affairs and Legislative Department as ex-officio members.
The Law Commission advises the government on legal issues, conducts research to review and reform the law or to bring new legislation. Either through a reference made to it by the government or suo-motu, it researches laws and reviews existing laws in India to reform them, remove them or bring new legislations. It also undertakes studies for reforms in the justice delivery systems. It is a non-statutory body constituted by the government every three years, with the first being formed in 1955.
The lack of a Law Commission was recently mentioned in the Supreme Court when the government told the court that the Commission could study and suggest solutions to address the issue of vacancies in higher judiciary. On Monday, a bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and K M Joseph came down heavily on Attorney General K K Venugopal, asking him why the government was “holding back” Collegium’s recommendations for appointments to various high courts.