**Executive Summary**
The National Conference of Union Secretaries and Ld. Law Officers was held on February 28, 2026, in New Delhi, focusing on "Efficient and Effective Management of Government Litigation" with the theme "Strengthening Institutional Litigation Governance for Viksit Bharat @2047." The conference aimed to strengthen litigation practices and enhance institutional efficiency. Key recommendations included clear appeal-filtering criteria and designating officers for coordinated litigation handling.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Conference Overview:**
* Conference held on February 28, 2026, in New Delhi.
* Participants included Secretaries, senior Government officials, and Law Officers.
* Focus on strengthening litigation practices and enhancing institutional efficiency.
* **Litigation Scenario Themes:**
* Service, pension, and employment matters.
* Infrastructure, compensation, and contractual disputes.
* Fiscal, taxation, and revenue cases.
* Regulatory, enforcement, and compliance-driven litigation.
* **Challenges Identified:**
* Repetitive service litigation due to non-uniform implementation of legal positions.
* Lack of due consultation before filing counter affidavits.
* Divergent positions taken by different ministries.
* Lack of coordination between Departments and Panel Counsels.
* Tendency to file appeals as a default reaction.
* Escalating land compensation litigation and mounting interest liabilities.
* Routine challenges to arbitral awards.
* Technical complexity in infrastructure contracts leading to inadequate legal vetting.
* Fragmented coordination between technical divisions and legal teams.
* Under-utilisation of ADR and pre-litigation mediation.
* **Recommendations and Emphases:**
* Reducing avoidable litigation and delays through robust filtering.
* Better coordination and early dispute resolution.
* Clear appeal-filtering criteria in service and other matters.
* Nomination of a designated officer in each department for coordinated handling of litigation.
* Mechanisms for time-bound implementation of court judgments.
* Close and structured coordination with the Department of Legal Affairs and Law Officers for policy-sensitive cases.
* Institutionalising structured pre-litigation ADR, especially for land and infrastructure disputes.
* Structured settlements in compensation matters.
* Exploration of financial exposure thresholds before challenging arbitral awards.
* Early and mandatory legal vetting of high-value contract decisions.
* Stronger in-house mechanisms for quick and fair dispute resolution.
* Streamlining enforcement strategies and compliance mechanisms.
* **Government Commitment:**
* Reaffirmation of commitment to responsible and disciplined litigation.
* Focus on reducing avoidable cases, ensuring timely filing and implementation.
* Strengthening alternative dispute resolution.
* Enhancing ease of doing business and citizen trust.
* Achieving the goals of Viksit Bharat@2047.
**Impact Analysis**
**Union Secretaries, Senior Government Officials, and Law Officers**
* **Impact:** Required to implement the recommendations and adapt litigation practices to enhance efficiency and reduce avoidable litigation.
* **Action Required:** Implement clear appeal-filtering criteria, nominate designated officers for litigation handling, ensure timely implementation of court judgments, and coordinate with the Department of Legal Affairs and Law Officers.
**Government Departments**
* **Impact:** Need to improve internal coordination, ensure adequate legal vetting of contracts, and utilize ADR and pre-litigation mediation effectively.
* **Action Required:** Enhance coordination between technical divisions and legal teams, implement early and mandatory legal vetting of high-value contracts, and establish stronger in-house mechanisms for dispute resolution.
**Citizens**
* **Impact:** Expected to benefit from improved government efficiency, reduced litigation delays, and enhanced trust in government processes.
* **Action Required:** No direct action required, but benefit from improved governance and dispute resolution.
Key Entities Referenced
Viksit Bharat @2047: A vision for India's development by 2047, which this conference aims to support through improved litigation governance.
Ministry of Law and Justice: The primary government body responsible for law and justice in India, and the organizer of the conference.
Department of Legal Affairs: A department that should have close and structured coordination with the Law Officers for important and policy-sensitive cases
Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR): Identified as a critical step to reduce litigation.
Ministry of Law and Justice
CONFERENCE ON EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE
MANAGEMENT OF LITIGATION BY
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
Theme of the conference is “Strengthening Institutional
Litigation Governance for Viksit Bharat @2047”
Posted On: 28 FEB 2026 8:54PM by PIB Delhi
The National Conference of Union Secretaries and Ld. Law Officers on “Efficient and Effective
Management of Government Litigation” was held on 28 February 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi,
bringing together Secretaries, senior Government officials, Ld. Law Officers, and representatives from
various departments to deliberate on strengthening litigation practices and enhancing institutional
efficiency.
The event witnessed the gracious presence of Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal, Hon’ble Union Minister of State
(I/C), Ministry of Law and Justice; Dr. T.V. Somanathan, Cabinet Secretary; Shri R. Venkataramani,
Attorney General for India; Shri Tushar Mehta, Ld. Solicitor General of India, Dr. Niraj Verma, Secretary,
Department of Justice; and Dr. Rajiv Mani, Secretary, Department of Legal Affairs.
The Conference deliberated on litigation scenario across four major themes: service, pension and
employment matters; infrastructure, compensation and contractual disputes; fiscal, taxation and revenue
cases; and regulatory, enforcement and compliance-driven litigation. Participants noted key challenges
such as repetitive service litigation due to non-uniform implementation of legal position, lack of due
consultation before filing counter affidavits, divergent positions taken by different ministries, lack of
coordination between Departments and Panel Counsels, and a tendency to file appeals as a default reaction
rather than as a considered policy decision.
In infrastructure and compensation matters, concerns were raised about escalating land compensation
litigation and mounting interest liabilities, routine challenges to arbitral awards, technical complexity in
infrastructure contracts leading to inadequate legal vetting, fragmented coordination between technical
divisions and legal teams, and under-utilisation of ADR and pre-litigation mediation.
A central emphasis of the deliberations was on reducing avoidable litigation and delays in litigation filing
through robust filtering, better coordination and early dispute resolution. The Conference recommended
clear appeal-filtering criteria in service and other matters, nomination of a designated officer in each
department for coordinated handling of litigation, and mechanisms for time-bound implementation of
court judgments so that repetitive and contempt litigation is minimised. Close and structured coordination
with the Department of Legal Affairs and Ld. Law Officers was emphasised for important and
policy-sensitive cases so that a consistent legal position is taken across ministries.For infrastructure, compensation and contractual litigation, the Conference endorsed institutionalising
structured pre-litigation ADR, especially for land and infrastructure disputes, and structured settlements in
compensation matters to avoid protracted court battles. Also, financial exposure thresholds be explored
and examined before challenging arbitral awards, with consultations through committees, so that
challenges are filed only in cases with substantial legal or financial implications. Early and mandatory
legal vetting of termination, debarment and other high-value contract decisions, as well as stronger
in-house mechanisms for quick and fair dispute resolution, were identified as critical steps to reduce fresh
litigation. The deliberations on fiscal, taxation, revenue, and regulatory/enforcement litigation highlighted
the need to streamline enforcement strategies and compliance mechanisms so that disputes are resolved at
earlier stages and unnecessary matters are not carried to higher forums.
Overall, the Conference reaffirmed the Government of India’s commitment to responsible and disciplined
litigation, with a focus on reducing avoidable cases, ensuring timely filing and implementation, and
strengthening alternative dispute resolution to enhance ease of doing business and citizen trust in
government processes for achieving the goals of Viksit Bharat@2047.
*****
SAMRAT
(Release ID: 2234052) Visitor Counter : 290
Read this release in: ही