Law ministry seeks arbitration data of last 24 years from all ministries

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Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. NEW DELHI : The Union law ministry has sought details of all arbitration proceedings involving the Centre over the last 24 years from all ministries as part of its efforts to streamline India’s arbitration system. In a communication reviewed by Mint, the ministry sought details like legal costs, number of advocates engaged for the government, arbitration results, and subsequent appeals starting from 2000.

The government—the country's biggest litigant—has been working on amendments to the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, one of the key out-of-court dispute resolution laws, to reduce the pendency of cases and legal costs. “The department of legal affairs is in the process of considering further amendments in the (Arbitration) Act to inter alia ensure further strengthening of the arbitration ecosystem," read the 2 September letter. The government is collecting the data to undertake a holistic overview of arbitration cases and related court litigation before considering policy amendments, the letter added.

An email query seeking comments from the law and justice ministry and its secretary, who heads the department of legal affairs, didn't elicit any response till press time. Arjun Ram Meghwal told Mint in an interview—published on 18 September—that the law ministry was drafting changes to the Arbitration Act. The request follows the Union finance ministry's June advisory asking all government arms, including state governments and public sector undertakings (PSUs), to opt out of arbitrations if the disputed value is over ₹10 crore.