New Delhi: Justice D K Jain was on Monday appointed Chairman of the Law Commission of India which gives advice to the government on complex legal issues.
Justice Jain, 64, will take over as the chief of the law panel on January 24 after retiring from the Supreme Court on the same day.
The Union Cabinet had recently approved the constitution of the 20th Law Commission with a three-year term ending on August 31, 2015.
Besides the Chairman, the new Commission will have four full-time members. The Law Secretary and Secretary, Legislative department are the panel's ex-officio members.
They have been included in the Commission, with a view to achieve better coordination and faster implementation of reports and its recommendations.
Some critics have pointed that the appointments were an interference with the 'independent' functioning of the panel.
This time, the Commission will also examine the existing laws with a view to promote gender equality and suggest amendments thereto.
It will also have a look at laws which affect the poor and carry out post-audit for socio-economic legislations.
Justice Jain was sworn-in as Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court in March, 2005 and elevated to the apex court in April, 2006.
Justice P V Reddi was the Chairman of the previous Law Commission.
PTI
First Published: Monday, January 07, 2013, 22:32