Govt depts working on repealing archaic laws: Cab Sec

Various central government departments are in the process of repealing outdated laws and regulations, Cabinet Secretary Ajit Seth said here today.
"We also need to simplify the grievance redressal and government processes. The Prime Minister has asked to weed out outdated laws and regulations. The process is on and hopefully you will see the results soon," Seth said during the inauguration of two-day symposium on 'Excellence in Public Service and Public Administration' here.
The Law Ministry has planned to bring a new bill in the winter session of Parliament to repeal 287 obsolete statutes.
Based on the recommendation of the Law Commission, the Ministry is planning to carry out "legal scavenging" to repeal 700 Appropriation Acts which remain on statute books though they have lost relevance.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had in August constituted a separate committee to identify "obsolete" laws which, he believes, hamper governance by creating "avoidable confusion".
Out of the 1,382 Acts recommended for repeal by that committee, only 415 have been revoked so far.

On September 12, the Law Commission had recommended revoking 72 obsolete statutes, saying there is an "urgent need" to ensure that the legal structures are responsive to challenges of changing times.
Addressing the gathering, Seth said the biggest challenge before the government is to ensure effective public service delivery to the people.
"The biggest challenge before the government is to ensure effective public service delivery and also seeing that economic success is felt by the people, and that no section of society is excluded from sharing the fruits of the economic success," he said.