Sunset Clauses: Streamlining Legal Reforms

The law ministry is advocating for the inclusion of a 'sunset' clause in certain bills to simplify statute books. These clauses, primarily for temporary laws, ensure automatic repeal once their utility ends. This proposal is part of the ministry's 100-day agenda, as directed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The law ministry is pushing for the introduction of a 'sunset' clause in specific bills to help declutter statute books, making it a key element of its 100-day agenda.

The clause is generally applicable to laws that are temporary or address dynamic situations, ensuring they are automatically repealed once their relevance ceases.

Former Union law secretary P K Malhotra highlighted that the legislature can impose such clauses to set a predetermined expiration, which helps ensure laws are reviewed for relevance periodically. This approach aligns with recent legal reform recommendations and will be pursued in collaboration with relevant ministries.