NEW DELHI, June 11: Despite heading a coalition government, the Modi 3.0 government is likely to push ahead with the BJP agenda in the 18th Lok Sabha.
Immediately after taking over as the union law ministry on Tuesday, Mr Arjun Ram Meghwal hinted that the government may soon bring forward the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) bill. “Implementation of the UCC was part of the Narendra Modi government’s agenda,” Mr Meghwal said.
Assuming charge of office, a portfolio that he held in the earlier government as well, Mr Meghwal rejected the charge that there was conflict between the executive and the judiciary, and expressed hope that a solution would be found on the issue of the Memorandum of Procedure (MoP).
The MoP refers to the procedure on the appointment, elevation and transfer of High Court and Supreme Court judges, which is yet to be finalised because of differences between the executive and the judiciary. “I believe that we will certainly find a solution to it,” Mr Meghwal told reporters after taking charge of the Ministry of Law and Justice.
Responding to a question on the UCC, he said it was part of the government’s agenda. On the issue of ‘One Nation One Election’, Mr Meghwal said the committee under former President Ram Nath Kovind had submitted its report, and the Law Commission was also working on the subject.
Mr Meghwal also signed the national litigation policy document soon after taking charge. The policy document, that is part of the 100-day agenda in the Narendra Modi 3.0 government, will be placed before the Union Cabinet for approval in the coming days.
The national litigation policy has been drafted and redrafted over several years by successive governments, and aims to lay down principles for responsible litigation. A national litigation policy has been a part of the BJP’s manifesto since 2014.
“There is a factor of ease of living in all the stakeholders related to litigation… All stakeholders, including litigants, advocates and others are part of it… the Ministry has finalised the policy document,” Mr Meghwal said.
The Law Minister said a key priority of his Ministry would be faster justice in matters pending in the Supreme Court, High Courts, lower courts, tribunals, and consumer courts.
(Manas Dasgupta)