Ministry of Law and Justice (India) facts for kids
| Vidhi aura Nyāya Maṁtrālaya | |
Branch of Government of India
|
|
Ministry of Law & Justice
|
|
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1833 |
| Jurisdiction | Government of India |
| Headquarters | Shastri Bhawan, New Delhi 28°36′50″N 17°12′32″E / 28.61389°N 17.20889°E |
| Minister responsible |
|
| Agency executives | |
| Child agencies |
|
The Ministry of Law and Justice (which means Vidhi aura Nyāya Maṁtrālaya in Hindi) is a very important part of the Government of India. It helps manage all the legal matters, create new laws, and make sure justice is served across India. It does this through its three main departments: the Department of Legal Affairs, the Legislative Department, and the Department of Justice.
The Department of Legal Affairs gives legal advice to other government departments. The Legislative Department is in charge of writing new laws for the country. The whole Ministry is led by the Minister of Law and Justice, currently Arjun Ram Meghwal. The President of India chooses this minister based on the Prime Minister's advice. Did you know that Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, who was a key person in writing the Constitution of India, was India's very first Law and Justice Minister from 1947 to 1951?
Contents
How India's Laws Began
The Ministry of Law and Justice is one of the oldest parts of the Indian government. Its history goes all the way back to 1833, when India was under British rule. Back then, a law called the Charter Act of 1833 gave the power to make laws to one person: the Governor General in Council.
From 1834 to 1920, the Governor General in Council made laws for the country. Later, after 1919, the Indian Legislature took over this job. When India became independent in 1947, the 'dominion legislature' made laws until 1949. Finally, when the Constitution of India started on January 26, 1950, the power to make laws officially went to the Parliament of India.
How the Ministry is Organized
The Ministry of Law and Justice has three main departments that work together to handle all its responsibilities. These departments are:
- Department of Legal Affairs
- Legislative Department
- Department of Justice
Department of Legal Affairs: Giving Legal Advice
The Department of Legal Affairs has two main jobs: giving legal advice and handling court cases for the government. Here are some of its key roles:
- It advises other government departments on legal issues, including how to understand the Constitution of India and other laws.
- It helps the government hire lawyers to represent it in courts.
- This department handles cases for the Central Government in the Supreme Court and High Courts.
- It also deals with legal agreements with other countries, like sending official notices for civil lawsuits or making sure court orders are followed.
- The department manages the Indian Legal Service, which is a group of legal officers working for the government.
- It also looks after the Law Commission of India, which suggests new laws or changes to old ones.
- This department is also responsible for legal aid, which helps poor people get legal assistance.
The main office of this department is in New Delhi. It also has smaller offices in Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, and Bengaluru.
Legislative Department: Writing New Laws
The Legislative Department is mainly responsible for writing all the important new laws for the Central Government. This includes:
- Drafting Bills (proposed laws) that will be discussed in Parliament.
- Writing Ordinances, which are temporary laws issued by the President when Parliament is not in session.
- Creating laws for Union Territories.
- It also works with election laws, like those for elections to Parliament and State Legislatures.
- This department makes sure that all laws passed by Parliament are kept up-to-date.
- It helps prepare and publish official translations of laws into Hindi and other official languages.
- The department also deals with personal laws (like marriage, divorce, adoption), contracts, and civil procedures.
Department of Justice: Managing Courts and Judges
The Department of Justice handles the administrative side of India's courts and judges. Its main jobs include:
- Appointing judges for the Supreme Court of India and the High Courts in different states.
- Managing the salaries, leave, and pensions of these judges.
- Appointing judicial officers in Union Territories.
- It oversees the structure and organization of the Supreme Court and High Courts.
- This department is also in charge of the overall administration of justice in the country.
- It works on creating an All India Judicial Service, which would be a common service for judges across India.
- It also looks after the working conditions of District Judges and other senior judges in Union Territories.
See also
- Minister of Law and Justice
- Cabinet of India
- Government of India
- Law Commission of India
- Constitution of India
- Pendency of court cases in India
