The Central Government on November 7, 2022 appointed Justice Rituraj Awasthi, Retired High Court Chief Justice of Karnataka as chairperson along with other five members for the 22nd Law Commission.
Justice Rituraj Awasthi served as Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court from October 11, 2021 to July 2, 2022. From April 13, 2009, he worked as Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court until October 10, 2021. Prior to that, Justice Awasthi served on the Allahabad High Court’s Lucknow bench where he was practising Civil, Service and Educational Affairs. Justice Rituraj Awasthi has also served as an Assistant Solicitor General of India at Lucknow before elevation.
The appointment comes after more than two years after the Law Commission was notified on February 24, 2020. The Law Commission is constituted for three years.
22nd Law Commission
The Central Government is likely aiming at reviving the Indian Law Commission, by appointing a new chairman and five-panel members. The last chairman of the committee retired in August 2018 and has not been reconstituted since.
The main function of the Commission is to research and advise the Government of India on legislative matters and its reforms. It consists of legal experts and is headed by a retired judge. The Commission is constituted for a fixed tenure and serves as an advisory body to the Ministry of Law and Justice. The Law Commission has played the key role of both advisory and is critical of the Government’s policies.