The Ministry of Law and Justice, Government of India, has released its Year End Report 2025, highlighting wide-ranging reforms and initiatives undertaken to strengthen legal governance, reduce litigation, promote alternative dispute resolution, modernise institutions, and enhance access to justice. The report reflects a sustained push towards efficiency, transparency, digital transformation, and capacity building across the legal ecosystem.
Directive for Efficient and Effective Litigation Management
A major milestone in 2025 was the issuance of the “Directive for the Efficient and Effective Management of Litigation by the Government of India” on 4 April 2025 by the Department of Legal Affairs (DLA). Developed on the recommendations of the Committee of Secretaries (CoS) chaired by the Cabinet Secretary, the directive applies to all Central Ministries, Departments, CPSEs, autonomous bodies, and subordinate offices.
The directive aims to:
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Prevent and reduce avoidable litigation
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Minimise unwarranted appeals and inconsistencies in government notifications
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Improve inter-departmental coordination
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Strengthen accountability in arbitration
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Establish a robust Knowledge Management System (KMS)
This initiative reinforces good governance and timely justice delivery.
Appointment and Empanelment of Law Officers
During 2025, significant steps were taken to strengthen legal representation for the Government of India:
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Re-appointment of Shri R. Venkataramani as Attorney General of India for two more years
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Creation and filling of three new posts of Additional Solicitor General in the Supreme Court
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Fresh engagement of nine Deputy Solicitors General and extension of tenure for five
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Empanelment or extension of terms for 3,877 advocates across courts and tribunals
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Processing of 25 resignations of panel counsel
Strengthening Arbitration and Treaty Engagements
The Ministry engaged Arbitration Panel Counsel in about 100 domestic and international arbitration cases involving Government and PSEs.
In the domain of international legal cooperation, India signed a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty in civil and commercial matters with Vietnam in 2025, strengthening cross-border legal collaboration.
Processing of International Legal Assistance Requests
As the Central Authority under the Hague Conventions of 1965 and 1971, the Department of Legal Affairs processed approximately 3,200 requests related to service of summons, notices, and evidence in civil and commercial matters during the year.
Expansion of Alternative Dispute Resolution Framework
The India International Arbitration Centre (IIAC) continued to emerge as a premier institution of national importance:
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Empanelled 97 international arbitrators and 271 domestic arbitrators
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Hosted multiple national and international conferences, including events in New Delhi and Singapore
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Signed MoUs with AALCO and University of Delhi (Paryaya ADR Society)
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Launched the IIAC Annual Magazine
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Notified new IIAC regulations and amendments to arbitration panel criteria
Legislative and policy interventions under the Mediation Act 2023, Arbitration & Conciliation Act, 1996, and Commercial Courts Act, 2015 continued to strengthen India’s dispute resolution ecosystem.
LIMBS: Transforming Litigation Monitoring
The Legal Information Management and Briefing System (LIMBS) emerged as a cornerstone of digital governance in litigation management:
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Implemented across all Central Ministries and Departments
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Integrated via APIs with the Supreme Court, High Courts, District Courts, and 9 Tribunals
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Captured 13.05 lakh court cases with over 13,310 registered users
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Enabled access for PMO, NITI Aayog, Cabinet Secretariat, EAC-PM, and CAS
LIMBS has improved accountability, transparency, real-time monitoring, and data-driven decision-making across government litigation.
Institutional Strengthening: ITAT and Law Commission
The 23rd Law Commission of India assumed charge in April 2025. A committee was constituted to examine a comprehensive sentencing policy, submitting its interim report to the Supreme Court in November 2025.
The Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) recorded a 35.75% increase in disposal of appeals in 2025, with 52,088 cases disposed. Infrastructure expansion projects at Ahmedabad, Kolkata, and Guwahati are nearing completion, alongside universal adoption of virtual and hybrid hearings.
Capacity Building and Training Initiatives
Over 200 training sessions were conducted under LIMBS and departmental initiatives. Key programmes included:
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Rastriya Karmayogi Jan Seva Training
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Legal research tools workshops
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Leadership training at IIPA
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Behavioural and capacity-building workshops
These initiatives aimed to instil service orientation, digital competence, and legal efficiency.
Digital Transformation in Notary Services
The Notary Portal (notary.gov.in) enabled issuance of over 35,700 digitally signed Certificates of Practice, promoting paperless, faceless services aligned with the Digital India vision. Integration with DigiLocker enhanced document accessibility.
Central Agency Section and Supreme Court Litigation
In 2025, the Central Agency Section (CAS) filed 8,685 new cases before the Supreme Court and disposed of 2,586 cases, reinforcing coordinated litigation handling for the Union of India.
Promotion of Hindi as Official Language
The Rajbhasha Unit advanced bilingual governance, conducted Hindi workshops, inspections, competitions, and promoted simplified Hindi in legal documents to enhance public accessibility and transparency.
Conclusion: Ministry of Law and Justice
The Year End Report 2025 of the Ministry of Law and Justice reflects a transformative year marked by litigation reforms, digital innovation, institutional strengthening, international cooperation, and capacity building. Through initiatives like LIMBS, ADR expansion, treaty engagement, and infrastructure upgrades, the Ministry continues to reinforce a modern, responsive, and citizen-centric legal governance framework in India.
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Source: PIB
