Jaitley for change in legal frame-work

Our Corporate Bureau

New Delhi, Dec 3: Union minister for law, justice and company affairs Arun Jaitley has said that the government is contemplating to undertake initiatives which have the potential to reduce the life of a civil case to one year.

The government will hold discussions with legal fraternity soon and evolve a consensus to bring change in the legal frame-work to reduce the time period in disposing off a civil suit to one year, he said, adding that economic changes must accompany legal reforms.

Labour laws is another area which need to be reformed, he said, adding that while it is one of the most challenging areas of reforms for the government, there is increased realisation in government about the need to reform labour laws.

The three legislation, which needed to be amended, are the Industrial Disputes Act, the Contract Labour Act and the Payment of Wages Act, he added.

“Decision making should not be delayed if reforms are to be implemented,” he said while addressing a session on “Ten Years after Reforms: Where do We Stand,” at the ‘India Economic Summit 2001’, organised by World Economic Forum (WEF) and Confederation of Indian Industries (CII).

Stating that in spite of the broad consensus among political parties on economic reforms, decision making is a difficult task, Mr Jaitley said adding that the leader have to take hard decisions and go ahead to the reform agenda.

Decision making is slowing down due to an increasing fear of investigative agencies, but government has to take a decision he said citing examples of privatisation, where government stood by its decision inspite of opposition.