₹45 lakh sanctioned to NLU Delhi for expenses of Committee for Reforms in Criminal Laws: Law Ministry

The Committee formed to study and recommend reforms in criminal laws in the country was sanctioned ₹45,40,000 to cover its expenses, the Union Law Ministry told the Rajya Sabha on Thursday..Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju shared the information in reply to a parliamentary question in the Rajya Sabha by CPI Member of Parliament Binoy Viswam."A Committee under the Chairpersonship of the Vice Chancellor, National Law University, Delhi and four other Members was constituted on 02.03.2020 by MHA to suggest reforms in the criminal laws of the country. A sum of Rs.45,40,000/- (Rupees Forty Five Lakhs Forty Thousand only) was allocated to the National Law University to meet expenditure on the honorarium, consultation fee, etc. The Committee invited suggestions through a questionnaire based on secondary research and inputs from experts uploaded on its website which received response from various organizations, research centers, academics, lawyers, and civil societies from across the country," the reply stated.The break-up of expenses for the Committee were revealed as under:.The reply also revealed that on February 27 this year, the Committee submitted its recommendations on amendments to the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), and the Indian Evidence Act, after "extensive stake holders consultation and research.".Presently, the Committee comprises:Prof Srikrishna Deva Rao (Chairperson), Vice-Chancellor, National Law University, Delhi;Prof (Dr) GS Bajpai (Member & Convenor), Registrar, National Law University Delhi;Prof (Dr) Balraj Chouhan (Member), former Vice-Chancellor of Dharmashastra National Law University, Jabalpur;Mahesh Jethmalani (Member), Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of India;GP Thareja (Member), Former District & Session Judge, Delhi.Praveen Sinha (Member), Special Director of the Central Bureau of InvestigationDr Padmini Singh (Member), Advocate and Additional Legal Advisor, Ministry of Law and Justice.When the Committee was formed in 2020, lawyers, former judges and academicians alike expressed concerns over its lack of diversity and transparency. In response, the Committee said that it respects all opinions and suggestions made to it, and that it would upload all relevant updates on its website in the interest of transparency..[Read reply]