Govt asks Law department put system for timely replies before courts

The administration has asked the Department of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs to put forth a centralized mechanism within the department for vetting the draft replies stand of the Government through a single window system to avert any delay in filing the response, stand.

Reports said that the directions have passed to ensure submission of timely, well-considered and uniform stand/replies of the Government Departments/HoDs/Organizations/ Bodies/Societies etc. before respective adjudicating forums.

Also, all the Administrative Departments/HoDs/ Government Organizations/Statutory Bodies/Corporations etc. have been asked to take note of the instructions and follow the same in letter and spirit.

An order has been issued in this regard by Manoj Kumar Dwivedi Commissioner/Secretary to the Government, General Administration Department.

“With a view to ensuring submission of timely, well-considered and uniform stand/replies of the Government Departments/HoDs/Organizations/ Bodies/Societies etc. before respective adjudicating forums, there is an imminent requirement to consult the Department of Law, Justice & Parliamentary Affairs for opinion and vetting of the draft replies/objections before filing the same in the Courts/Forums”, the order reads.

“Further, cases involving more than one department, the Department of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs shall finalize a consolidated reply and return the duly vetted consolidated reply/objections to one of the departments, to be decided by it, which shall file the timely reply on behalf of all the departments, unless there are specific directions from the Court Forum for filing of separate replies by each department, in which case also, the replies must be vetted through Law Department to ensure coherence and consistencies with each other”, the order reads.

“The Department of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs shall put in place a centralized mechanism within the department for vetting the draft replies/stand of the Government through a single-window system to avert any delay in filing the response/stand”, it added.

Accordingly, all the Administrative Departments/HoDs/ Government Organizations/Statutory Bodies/Corporations etc. shall take note of the above instructions and follow the same in letter and spirit, the order reads.