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NEW DELHI: Soon after assuming charge as law and justice minister on Tuesday, Arjun Ram Meghwal said a uniform civil code (UCC) and ‘one nation, one poll‘ were part of govt’s agenda, but refrained from giving a timeframe for implementation.
The two initiatives were part of BJP’s poll promises and the party’s loss of majority in Lok Sabha and the resultant reliance on allies TDP and JD(U) has led to speculation whether the Modi govt would be willing and able to push them.
On ‘one nation, one poll’, Meghwal said, “The report has been submitted and we will look into it. It is very much part of govt’s agenda.” On UCC, the minister was not very forthcoming but made it clear that it was part of BJP’s poll manifesto.
In keeping with directives from PM Narendra Modi, Meghwal signed off on the National Litigation Policy (NLP), which aims at bringing down pendency, on his first day in office. It will now be sent to the cabinet for approval. Meghwal said NLP will facilitate ease of living for citizens and involve all stakeholders – lawyers, litigants and govt. “We have to develop a culture of ease of living, as envisaged by PM,” he added.
The policy has been in the works for at least a decade-and-a-half. UPA govt had first floated the proposal to bring down long pendency of cases in courts.
The idea was taken forward by NDA govt when it framed broad guidelines to reduce pendency. As part of the policy, it was made compulsory for all govts, both at the Centre and states, to encourage incorporating arbitration and mediation clauses in contracts. Govt being the largest litigant in the country, a target was proposed for all departments to reduce cases and make it part of their results framework.
It also provided for meeting of secretaries of respective departments, both at central and state levels, to review implementation of the policy. Law departments were to periodically convene meetings of nodal officers and weed out infructuous cases with fixed timelines. If cases could be addressed through grievance redressal mechanism, such cases should be withdrawn.
Meghwal said providing ease of living and bringing down pendency of cases from all courts were among the top priorities of government.
The two initiatives were part of BJP’s poll promises and the party’s loss of majority in Lok Sabha and the resultant reliance on allies TDP and JD(U) has led to speculation whether the Modi govt would be willing and able to push them.
On ‘one nation, one poll’, Meghwal said, “The report has been submitted and we will look into it. It is very much part of govt’s agenda.” On UCC, the minister was not very forthcoming but made it clear that it was part of BJP’s poll manifesto.
In keeping with directives from PM Narendra Modi, Meghwal signed off on the National Litigation Policy (NLP), which aims at bringing down pendency, on his first day in office. It will now be sent to the cabinet for approval. Meghwal said NLP will facilitate ease of living for citizens and involve all stakeholders – lawyers, litigants and govt. “We have to develop a culture of ease of living, as envisaged by PM,” he added.
The policy has been in the works for at least a decade-and-a-half. UPA govt had first floated the proposal to bring down long pendency of cases in courts.
The idea was taken forward by NDA govt when it framed broad guidelines to reduce pendency. As part of the policy, it was made compulsory for all govts, both at the Centre and states, to encourage incorporating arbitration and mediation clauses in contracts. Govt being the largest litigant in the country, a target was proposed for all departments to reduce cases and make it part of their results framework.
It also provided for meeting of secretaries of respective departments, both at central and state levels, to review implementation of the policy. Law departments were to periodically convene meetings of nodal officers and weed out infructuous cases with fixed timelines. If cases could be addressed through grievance redressal mechanism, such cases should be withdrawn.
Meghwal said providing ease of living and bringing down pendency of cases from all courts were among the top priorities of government.
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