Vice President calls for legal reforms by repealing old laws

Vice President of India Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan inaugurated the conference on ‘Cooperative Federalism and Legal Reforms: National and State Perspectives’ organized by the Law Commission of India at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.

Addressing the assembly, emphasizing the spirit of ‘Team India’, he called for more consultation, coordination, and shared responsibility between the Centre and the States. He stated that political differences should not come in the way of working together for the broader public interest.

The Vice President said that India's strength lies in unity in diversity. The Constitution provides a framework to balance the strength of the Union with the responsibilities and reasonable autonomy of the States. The true strength of Indian federalism lies in working towards common national objectives while respecting diversity.

He stated that robust laws, transparent institutions, efficient administration, and justice for all are essential for Viksit Bharat @2047. He described the replacement of 3 criminal laws from the era of slavery and the repeal of more than 1,700 old, irrelevant laws in the last 12 years as a major step towards the modernization of the legal framework. He urged State Law Commissions to identify old laws and recommend reforms or their repeal for ease of living and efficient good governance.

Stating that cooperative federalism in legal reforms does not mean uniformity in every matter, he said that where constitutional responsibilities converge, the Centre and States should work together, while maintaining appropriate space for the specific needs of the States. He called for strong coordination through inter-state consultation, exchange of best practices, and systematic review of old laws between the Law Commission of India, State Law Commissions, and State Law Departments.

Referring to the Sangam established in Parliament, the Vice President recalled the wisdom of Tamil saint-poet Thiruvalluvar regarding good governance and the rule of law. He emphasized that good governance, rather than the exercise of power, is the foundation of lasting success and prosperity. He also expressed hope that the conference would present concrete and actionable recommendations for a relevant, responsive, and citizen-centric legal framework.

On this occasion, dignitaries including Union Minister of State for Law and Justice (Independent Charge) Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal, Chairperson of the Law Commission of India Justice Dinesh Maheshwari, Member Secretary Dr. Anju Rathi Rana, and Member Prof. D. P. Verma were present.