Centre spent Rs 66 crore on court cases in 2023-24, total over Rs 400 crore in 10 years

NEW DELHI: The Centre has spent Rs 66 crore in the fiscal year 2023-24, making a total of over 400 crore on legal proceedings during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's regime, from 2014 to 2024.
The expenditure on court cases in 2023-24 exceeded the previous year's spending by more than Rs 9 crore.
Official records presented to the Lok Sabha during the ongoing Budget session reveal an upward trend in litigation costs since 2014-15, except during two financial years when Covid-19 reached its zenith.
The financial outlay for legal proceedings in 2014-15 was recorded at Rs 26.64 crore, whilst the subsequent year witnessed an increase to Rs 37.43 crore.

The cumulative expenditure on legal proceedings between the financial years 2014-15 and 2023-24 surpassed Rs 409 crore.
The administration is currently developing a

national policy on litigation

aimed at accelerating the resolution of cases in waiting.
A preliminary version of the proposed policy awaits final approval from the Union Cabinet.
The policy document has undergone multiple revisions over the years, with successive administrations discussing its framework.