Vice-President Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan inaugurated the conference on 'Co-operative Federalism and Law Reforms: National and State Perspective' organized by the Law Commission of India at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi on October 22, 2026. He emphasized that India's strength lies in unity in diversity with the Constitution balancing Union strength with state autonomy, and called for greater consultation, coordination and shared responsibility between Center and States under the 'Team India' vision, noting political differences should not impede public interest.
The Vice-President highlighted that development must be supported by sound laws, transparent institutions, efficient administration and justice for all to achieve Viksit Bharat 2047 goals. He cited the replacement of three colonial-era criminal laws and the repeal of over 1,700 obsolete laws in the past twelve years as major steps toward modernizing India's legal framework. He specifically urged State Law Commissions to identify and recommend amendment or repeal of outdated laws to promote ease of living and efficient governance.
Radhakrishnan clarified that cooperative federalism in law reforms does not require uniformity in every matter, but rather that Union and States must work together where constitutional responsibilities converge while preserving states' legitimate space to address specific needs. He called for stronger coordination among the Law Commission of India, State Law Commissions and State Law Departments through inter-State consultations, sharing of best practices and systematic review of outdated laws.
The conference was attended by Union Minister of State for Law and Justice Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal, Law Commission Chairperson Justice Dinesh Maheshwari, Member Secretary Dr. Anju Rathi Rana, and Member Prof. D. P. Verma. The Vice-President expressed hope that the conference would produce concrete, actionable recommendations for a coherent, responsive and citizen-centric legal framework.