Bhubaneswar: In a significant exercise to clean up the statute book, the Odisha Cabinet has decided to repeal as many as 358 Acts enacted between 1974 and 2025 that have become redundant and obsolete.
Most of these Acts are amending legislations whose provisions have already been incorporated into the respective principal Acts. Several others were enacted as one-time measures and have outlived their purpose. With no practical utility left, retaining them only creates unnecessary burden and confusion.
The decision follows recommendations made by the State Law Commission of Odisha in its reports dated 06.04.2026 and 30.04.2026. The Commission had strongly advocated for the repeal of these Acts to simplify the legal framework and remove outdated laws from the statute book.
The Cabinet has accepted the Commission’s recommendations and directed the preparation of the Odisha Repealing Bill, 2026, which will formally repeal all 358 identified Acts once passed by the State Legislature.
This major repealing exercise is expected to bring greater clarity to the state’s legal system, reduce administrative hassles, and help both citizens and government functionaries by eliminating redundant laws.
