New Delhi, February 26: The central government has incurred litigation expenses exceeding ₹400 crore over the past decade, with expenditure witnessing a consistent rise, barring two fiscal years affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to official data presented in the Lok Sabha.
In the 2023-24 financial year alone, the government spent ₹66 crore on court cases, marking an increase of over ₹9 crore from the previous fiscal. Since 2014-15, litigation costs have steadily escalated, starting from ₹26.64 crore in that year and rising to ₹37.43 crore in 2015-16. Between 2014-15 and 2023-24, the cumulative litigation expenditure crossed ₹409 crore.
Amidst rising legal costs, the government is working on formulating a National Litigation Policy aimed at expediting the resolution of pending cases. The policy, which has undergone multiple revisions over the years, is expected to be placed before the Union Cabinet for final approval.
The move is part of an effort to streamline the legal process, reduce the government’s litigation burden, and ensure a more efficient dispute resolution mechanism.