1,700 obsolete laws to be repealed, says PM

Mumbai, Feb 14 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday said the government has identified around 1,700 obselete and is woring towards their repeal.

Pointing out that the world is looking at India with great hopes, he said one of the reasons for this was the global investor community trusts the independence of the country's judicial system.

"At times laws are not drafted well and therefore lead to multiple interpretations. Bar associations can play a significant role in drafting good laws with minimum grey areas," Modi observed in his address at the valedictory function of the sesquicentenial celebrations of the Advocates Association of Western India, where he lauded the "great contribution" of all those associated with the country's legal system.

He lauded the founders of AAWI - which had members like Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel - who created the bar to pursue excellence in the legal profession.

Modi pointed out that the country's freedom struggle was led by people from the fields of law and education and urged the AAWI to think about how it would go forward after its 150 years.

For this, he said that along with administering speedy justice, "quality justice" was also the need of hour and this depended a lot on advocates arguing the cases.

The advocates needed to specialize, particularly in emerging areas of litigation like international laws and cyber crimes, and a compulsory acquaintance with forensic sciences, he said.

Earlier, Modi inaugurated a Permanent Judicial Museum at the Bombay High Court, set up as part of its sesquicentennial celebrations, portraying the court's rich legal legacy and heritage.

Present at AAWI valedictory function were Governor C. V. Rao, Union Law Minister D. V. Sadananda Gowda, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and other luminaries.

Founded in 1864, the AAWI is one of the oldest assocaiton of legal practioners having had members like Gandhi, Mohammed Ali Jinnah, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, Sardar Patel, K.M. Munshi, and M. C. Chagla - who became the first chief justice of Bombay High Court, ambassador to US and union education minister.