71 Obsolete Laws Scrapped to Enhance Ease of Living and Governance

NEW DELHI:In a move to further “de-clutter” the Indian legal framework, the Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed the Repealing and Amending Bill, 2025. The legislation, introduced by Union Minister of Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal, seeks to repeal 71 obsolete Acts and amend four others to rectify drafting errors and update outdated terminology.

Addressing the House, Minister Meghwal emphasized that the Bill is part of a broader mission to free the country from a “colonial mindset.” He informed members that since May 2014, the government has repealed a total of 1,577 laws that had lost relevance. “Under the Narendra Modi government, no discrimination can exist in the statute books,” Meghwal stated, specifically highlighting amendments to the Indian Succession Act, 1925, which previously mandated probate for wills only for certain communities in specific cities.

Repeals: 71 Acts, including the Indian Tramways Act, 1886, and the Levy Sugar Price Equalisation Fund Act, 1976.

Amendments: Updates the General Clauses Act, 1897 and the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 regarding “registered post” terminology.

Disaster Management: Rectifies a drafting error in the Disaster Management Act, 2005, replacing “prevention” with “preparation” in certain administrative clauses—a move contested by Opposition members.

While BJP members like Manoj Tiwari supported the Bill as a long-overdue reform, Opposition leaders, including Dean Kuriakose (Congress) and Lalji Verma (SP), questioned the necessity of repealing laws enacted as recently as 2023, calling for more detailed parliamentary scrutiny.