New Delhi, Jul 18 (PTI) Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Friday directed the law department to form expert panels to bring down the number cases involving the Delhi government that are pending in various courts and tribunals and to eliminate unnecessary litigation.
During a review meeting of the Law, Justice and Legislative Affairs Department, Gupta also asked the officials to explore enactment of new laws in sync with current requirements, and replacing pre-constitution laws including the Punjab Courts Act, Court Fees Act and Suit Valuation Act, the Delhi government said in a statement.
The meeting was also attended by Law Minister Kapil Mishra and senior officers.
The chief minister pointed out that around 5,000 cases involving the Delhi government are pending in various courts and tribunals, and emphasised the urgent need to rationalise government litigation.
“She directed formation of expert panels comprising retired bureaucrats and domain specialists to examine the nature of pending cases and recommend strategies to eliminate unnecessary litigation,” the statement said.
It was noted in the meeting that unlike many other states, Delhi does not have a dedicated panel of advocates in the Supreme Court currently.
Acknowledging the importance of legal representation at the highest level, the chief minister instructed the law department to constitute special panels of senior advocates to represent the government in important matters before the Delhi High Court, Supreme Court and various tribunals.
The issue of shortage in sanctioned strength of judicial officers and inadequate office space was also highlighted in the meeting.
Gupta said that three new court complexes — at Shastri Park, Karkardooma and Rohini — are currently under construction, and once completed, these will help address both the personnel and infrastructure gaps.
She further noted the lack of regular review of Oath Commissioners and directed the law department to take immediate corrective action in updating and auditing the records of appointments.
Gupta also asked them to explore setting up a low-cost and efficient arbitration centre to cater to small disputes of micro, small and medium enterprises in Delhi. PTI VIT RUK RUK
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