Report No. 249

33. Indian Law Reports Act, Act 18 of 1875

Category: Administration of Justice

Recommendation: Recommend for repeal with suitable amendments.

This Act mandates that no court of law in India shall hear the report of any case other than one cited in a law report published under the authority of the State Government. In effect, it provides that Courts are not bound to hear citations from any unauthorised series of law reports. The 96th LCI Report noted that it is well-known that notwithstanding the Act, unofficial law reports in India have been cited before the Supreme Court and the High Courts. Hence, the Act is a dead letter law and the Central Government should repeal this Act.