No legislative proposal for changes to the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (CPC) is presently pending with the government, the Union Law Ministry recently said in Parliament..The response was provided to a query raised by Member of Parliament (MP) Sanjay Kumar Jha.Notably, the 2024 manifesto of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) promised a revamp of the commercial and civil justice systems, similar to criminal justice reforms, to streamline procedures, improve efficiency and ensure timely justice, creating a more business-friendly and citizen-centric legal framework..Additionally, Jha sought clarification on whether the government plans to introduce a National Litigation Policy to address the country's growing pendency problem.To this, the Ministry replied, "the National Litigation Policy has not been finalised."The BJP, in its manifesto, had promised to introduce a National Litigation Policy aimed at speeding up case resolution, reducing litigation costs and minimising government involvement in court cases to ease the burden on the judiciary..Another question raised by the MP was whether the government has taken any measures in the past three years to reduce litigation in the country.The Ministry highlighted that to reduce litigation, the Government of India has promoted Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms through key legislative reforms:Arbitration and Conciliation Act (amended in 2015, 2019, and 2020) to make arbitration cost-effective, time-efficient, and minimize court intervention.Commercial Courts Act (amended in 2018) introduced Pre-Institution Mediation and Settlement (PIMS) for resolving commercial disputes through mediation.India International Arbitration Centre Act, 2019 established an autonomous arbitration body of national importance.Mediation Act, 2023 created a legal framework for institutional mediation and a structured ADR ecosystem..[Read Here]
