LAW COMMISSION - POLITY

News: Ex-CJ Awasthi is Law Commission chief 

What's in the news?

       Retired High Court Chief Justice Rituraj Awasthi has been appointed as the chairperson of the 22nd law commission, Law Minister Kiren Rijiju informed on November 8.

       “The Central Govt is pleased to appoint Justice Rituraj Awasthi, Retired HC Chief Justice as Chairperson, Law Commission of India and Justice K.T. Sankaran, Prof. Anand Paliwal, Prof. DP Verma, Prof. (Dr) Raka Arya and Shri M. Karunanithi as Members of the Commission,” Mr. Rijiju tweeted.

Key takeaways:

       The appointment comes more than two years after the 22nd Law Commission was notified on February 24, 2020.

       The union government had said that the issue related to the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) may be taken up by the 22nd law panel.

Law Commission of India:

       It is an executive body established by an order of the Government of India. First law commission of independent India was established post the Independence in 1955.

       It is neither a statutory nor a constitutional body.

       The Cabinet approves reconstitution of the law panel for a period of three years. It is usually headed by a former Supreme Court judge or a former Chief Justice of a High Court.

Composition:

       Chairman

       One Permanent Member

       One Member Secretary

       Two Part-time Members

       Two ex-officio members. (21 st Law Commission Chairman: Justice BN Chauhan)

Tenure: 3 Years.

Function: Advisory body to the Ministry of Law and Justice for “Legal Reforms in India” 

Recommendations: Not binding.

Go back to basics:

       First Law Commission was established during the British Raj in 1834 by the Charter Act of 1833 under Macaulay.

       It recommended the Codifications of the IPC, CrPC etc.