The top priority for the law minister should be to strengthen the justice system by increasing the number of judges in the judiciary and improving infrastructure. The Tata Trusts’ India Justice Report 2023 says that the country has 19 judges per million population (as against the sanctioned strength). This is lower than the Law Commission’s 1987 target of 50 judges per million population in a decade.

Although this does not speed up the delivery of justice to the common citizen, a 2016 study by Daksh India found that delay in justice affects the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) by 0.5 percent annually. On the first day of assuming office, Arjun Ram Meghwal expressed hope that the issue of Memorandum of Procedure for appointment, promotion and transfer of judges of the High Court and Supreme Court will be resolved.

This is important for speedy delivery of justice. What’s more, his ministry has approved the long-pending National Litigation Policy to speed up disposal of pending cases. Even after nearly a decade, it has not been implemented yet.

What needs to be done

, Appointment of judges

Ultimately, the government needs to work with the judiciary to establish an effective and efficient mechanism to expedite the appointment of judges

– Consensus building

Memorandum on consensus process for appointment of Supreme Court Judges and promotion and transfer of High Court Judges should be finalised

– Infrastructure expansion

Strengthening of judicial infrastructure, especially in lower courts, should be a special priority to reduce pending cases and backlog

– Policy Matters

National Litigation Policy should be passed in the Parliament without any delay with the aim to transform the government into an effective and responsible one

– Justice for all

The scope of legal services available to the poor should be expanded, to ensure that no citizen is denied an opportunity to access justice due to economic or other limitations

Arjun Ram Meghwal, 70 years: BJP

Minister of State (Independent Charge) of Law and Justice, Parliamentary Affairs

– Civil officer-turned-politician Meghwal was born in Bikaner, Rajasthan. He was married at the age of 13. The son of an illiterate Dalit weaver, he earned degrees in law and business management and was selected for the Rajasthan Administrative Service. He was later promoted to the IAS. He took voluntary retirement in 2009 and won his first Lok Sabha election that year.

– The four-time MP came into the national limelight in 2015. He was made the chief whip of the BJP in the Lok Sabha. He cycled to Parliament in his distinctive Rajasthani attire. He was given charge of the Law Ministry for the first time last year. During his short tenure, the tension between the executive and the judiciary did not show up in public forums.