NEW DELHI: The central government has reconstituted the 22nd Law Commission of India with former Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court Rituraj Awasthi as its Chairman. It also appointed former judge of Kerala High Court KT Sankaran, Anand Paliwal, Prof. DP Verma, Prof. (Dr.) Raka Arya, and M Karunanithi as members of the commission. The commission was reconstituted after a gap of four years. The chairman and members of the commission will take charge in a function to be held at the commission headquarters today.

By appointing a new Chairperson and other five panel members for the Law Commission of India, the Central Government has reinstated it. The last chairman of the Commission retired in August 2018, and since then, it has not been reconstituted.

The Commission's function is to research and advise the Government of India on legal reform, and is composed of legal experts, and headed by a retired judge. The commission is established for a fixed tenure and works as an advisory body to the Ministry of Law and Justice.

The Law Commission's role has been both advisory and critical of the government's policies. The Supreme Court of India and academia have recognized the commission as pioneering and perspective. In a number of decisions, the Supreme Court has referred to the work done by the commission and followed its recommendations.