The draft Advocates (Amendment) Bill, 2025, released by the Law and Justice Ministry, proposes reforms to the Advocates Act, 1961, focusing on regulating court boycotts, enhancing Bar Council oversight, and enforcing stricter conduct standards.
The Law Ministry is seeking detailed data on arbitration cases involving the Indian government to evaluate current practices and explore amendments to the Arbitration and Conciliation Act of 1996. This request includes specifics like case value, arbitration seat, advocates involved, and fees, aimed at enhancing dispute resolution efficiency and identifying improvement areas.
Today, On 1st August, The Union Law Ministry informed the Rajya Sabha that 83,798 cases are pending in the Supreme Court of India, while 6,002,383 cases await resolution in various High Courts. The backlog reflects the immense pressure on the judiciary, impacted by insufficient judges and procedural delays. Reforms and innovative solutions are needed to address this pressing issue.
The Law Ministry’s 100-day agenda includes integrating sunset clauses into new legislative proposals, aiming to automatically repeal laws of temporary nature. The initiative seeks to collaborate with relevant ministries and departments and aligns with the government’s broader agenda for infrastructure, healthcare, and economic reforms, aiming to drive growth and efficiency in various sectors.
A prominent advocacy group for thalassemia patients is calling for a unified blood law in India to improve transfusion services, ensure safe blood supply, and address current inefficiencies. They met with the Union Minister for Law and Justice to advocate for a comprehensive blood law, emphasizing the need for updated legislation to prevent transfusion-transmitted infections and improve healthcare infrastructure.
Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay formally resigned from the Calcutta High Court on March 5, 2024, and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party. His disillusionment with the TMC-led administration in West Bengal led to his decision. This rare transition from a high court judge to a political figure was confirmed by the Union Law Ministry.
The Supreme Court has directed the distribution of an expert committee’s report on proposed arbitration sector reforms to concerned parties by March 1, 2024. The Union government is yet to make a final decision on the report. This follows previous Supreme Court rulings and the establishment of a constitution bench to review the matter.
The Union Law Ministry has accepted a Parliamentary Committee’s recommendation to establish regional Supreme Court benches in India. This move aims to improve access to justice and address the increasing caseload. The committee also proposed annual reports to enhance transparency, suggested raising judges’ retirement age, and emphasized the need for social diversity in judicial appointments, indicating a significant shift in India’s judicial system reform.
In the Interim Budget 2024, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman allocated Rs 6,461 crore to the Union Law Ministry, Rs 1,709 crore more than the previous year. It covers government expenses and revenues for a short span in an election year until a new government is elected. The 2023-24 budget proposed a total expenditure of Rs 45,03,097 crore.