The Department of Legal Affairs, Ministry of Law & Justice, has successfully concluded the Preparatory Phase of Special Campaign 5.0, conducted from 15th to 30th September 2025. The exercise spanned not only the Main Secretariat but also all the attached and subordinate offices, including its four Branch Secretariats (in Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, and Mumbai), the Central Agency Section, the Law Commission of India, the Indian Law Institute, the India International Arbitration Centre (IIAC), and all benches of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT), along with litigation sections at the Delhi High Court, CAT (PB) and Lower Court (Tis Hazari), Delhi.

The Preparatory Phase was marked by a structured action plan and intensive monitoring by the Union Law Secretary Dr. Anju Rathi Rana to ensure readiness for the Implementation Phase scheduled to begin in October 2025.

In line with campaign guidelines, nodal officers were nominated across all offices and briefed on their roles in planning, monitoring, documentation, and social media inputs. They have been tasked with mobilising staff and field units, setting preparatory targets, and reporting progress in real time on the SCDPM 5.0 portal. Weekly reviews and close monitoring through the portal are being undertaken to ensure accountability and time-bound compliance. A key focus of this phase was the identification and disposal of pending references.

At the Main Secretariat, a comprehensive assessment of redundant materials and e-waste was undertaken, with disposal procedures being finalised to ensure transparency. Special emphasis has been placed on compliance with the E-Waste Management Rules, 2022, issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. A list of old and obsolete items—including furniture, office equipment, and small appliances—was prepared, valued at ₹4,000, and their disposal will free 324 sq. ft. of office space. Separately, a comprehensive inventory of e-waste, including refrigerators, AC units, printers, photocopiers, scanners, CPUs, monitors, and UPS systems, was assessed at ₹55,000. Disposal of these items will release an additional 612 sq. ft. of valuable workspace.

The Department also finalised its scrap disposal plan. In August 2025, an auction of obsolete and unused items generated ₹1,92,690. Building on this, another auction is being prepared, with items already collected expected to generate around ₹55,000. In addition, condemnation of a departmental vehicle is under process and will be undertaken in line with the policy mandating scrapping of condemned vehicles at Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facilities.

Alongside pendency management and scrap disposal, record management activities have resulted in a large-scale review and weeding of files, freeing up space and enabling digitisation of important documents. Record Rooms have been reorganised and documented with photographic evidence. Cleanliness campaign sites have been identified across all offices, with cleanliness drives happening periodically.

The Preparatory Phase has thus laid a strong foundation for the Implementation Phase. The Department will take up activities in line with instructions issued by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG). With clear targets and constant monitoring, the Department of Legal Affairs stands prepared to advance the campaign’s twin goals of Swachhata and good governance, demonstrating efficiency, transparency, and commitment across all its offices nationwide.

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