In April 2025, the Ministry of Law and Justice (MoL&J) has appointed former Supreme Court(SC) judge Justice Dinesh Maheshwari as the Chairperson of the 23rd Law Commission of India (LCI), succeeding Justice (Retired) Ritu Raj Awasthi.
- Along with him, Advocate Hitesh Jain and Professor D.P. Verma have been appointed as full-time members of the 23rd LCI for a tenure extending until 31st August 2027.
About 23rd Law Commission of India(LCI):
i.The 23rd LCI was constituted with effect from 1st September 2024 for a three-year term, following the conclusion of the 22nd Law Commission’s tenure on 31st August 2024.
ii.Composition:
- Chairperson (Full-time)
- Four Full-time Members (including a Member-Secretary)
- Ex-officio Members from the Departments of Legal Affairs (DLA) and Legislative
- Up to five Part-time Members (as per government discretion)
iii.The panel comprised distinguished individuals, including former Kerala High Court Judge Justice K.T. Sankaran, Prof. Anand Paliwal, Prof. D.P. Verma, Prof. (Dr.) Raka Arya, and Shri M. Karunanithi.
Note: The 22nd Law Commission of India was previously chaired by Justice (Retired) Ritu Raj Awasthi, the former Chief Justice (CJ) of the Karnataka High Court.
Key Objectives and Mandate of the 23rd Law Commission:
As per its terms of reference, the 23rd Law Commission is tasked to:
- Identify obsolete laws and recommend repeals or amendments.
- Suggest legal reforms to strengthen the judicial system.
- Examine the feasibility of implementing a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) across India.
Note: TheUCC is a proposal in India to create common personal laws for all citizens, treating everyone equally regardless of religion.
Key Appointees:
Justice Dinesh Maheshwari – Chairperson
- Served as a Judge of the SC from January 2019 to May 2023.
- Began judicial career as a Judge of the Rajasthan High Court(HC) in September 2004.
- Served as CJ of Meghalaya HC (February 2016) and later as CJ of Karnataka HC (February 2018).
Advocate Hitesh Jain – Full-Time Member
- Managing Partner of Mumbai (Maharashtra)-based Parinam Law Associates.
- Served as Special Counsel for the State of Maharashtra in the Bombay HC and the SCI.
- Has over 20 years of legal practice in civil, criminal, commercial, and constitutional matters.
Professor D P Verma – Full-Time Member
- Former member of the 22nd LCI
- Senior academic at Banaras Hindu University (BHU) with over four decades of experience in public international law, jurisprudence, and human rights law.
- Served as Additional Director (Research & Training) at the National Judicial Academy (2017–2020).
About the Law Commission of India (LCI):
i.The LCI is a non-statutory body set up by the GoI through the Ministry of Law and Justice (MoL&J) to suggest legal reforms, remove outdated laws, and improve access to justice and the working of the legal system.
ii.The First LCI was set up during British colonial rule by the East India Company, following the provisions of the Charter Act of 1833.
