Bhopal, Oct 30 (IANS) Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Friday said the state government had repealed more than 900 obsolete laws, some dating back to 1812 and 1817, as part of efforts to make the legal framework relevant to present-day requirements.

Addressing a programme in Jabalpur during his meeting with Madhya Pradesh High Court Chief Justice Justice Alpesh Yashwant Kogje, Yadav credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership for initiating reforms to free the country’s legal system from outdated colonial-era laws.

“I wish to express my gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his leadership in freeing the Indian judicial system from outdated and irrelevant colonial-era laws and providing it with a new direction in keeping with the needs of the present times,” Yadav said.

He said several laws had lost their relevance with changing times and circumstances and needed to be removed to ensure that the legal framework served contemporary requirements and public interest.

Highlighting the importance of democratic institutions, the Chief Minister said the judiciary should function independently while elected governments must discharge their responsibilities within the constitutional framework.

“The greatest strength of our democracy lies in the fact that the judiciary functions independently in discharging its responsibilities, while elected governments perform their duties within the constitutional framework,” he said.

Referring to the political and democratic situations in neighbouring Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan, Yadav said India’s democratic values and constitutional system reflected the strength of the world’s largest democracy.

He said the contribution of judges and the country’s judicial tradition had played an important role in preserving India’s democratic dignity.

The Chief Minister also congratulated Chief Justice Kogje and described Jabalpur as a city with distinctive natural and spiritual significance.

Referring to the Narmada River and the marble rocks of Bhedaghat, he said the city had a unique natural beauty and held a special place in the cultural and spiritual heritage of Madhya Pradesh.

The programme was part of Yadav’s Jabalpur visit on Friday.

He was scheduled to meet the Chief Justice at Circuit House No. 1, followed by a dinner hosted by the Advocate General’s office at Hotel Shawn Elize.

–IANS

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