The number of Singapore Legal Service officers has grown from 235 in 1995 to about 800
To allow greater specialisation for officers in the legal and judicial services, the Government on Monday (Sept 4) tabled two Bills that propose to restructure the Legal Service into separate commissions for the two distinct groups.
The proposed move is a result of rising numbers of Legal Service officers over the years, from 235 in 1995 to about 800 now.
All of them are deployed across government bodies and organs of state, either in judicial roles such as within the courts or in legal roles within government ministries and the Attorney-General’s Chambers.
Two Draft Laws Introduced in Parliament
Under the two draft laws — the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore (Amendment) Bill and the Judicial Service (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill — introduced in Parliament by Second Law Minister Edwin Tong on Monday, the Government is proposing a new Judicial Service Commission headed by Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon.
If both Bills are passed into law, about 220 officers holding judicial posts, such as assistant registrars in the Supreme Court as well as district judges and magistrates in the State Courts and Family Courts, will be part of the new commission.
Another 580 legal service officers are proposed to come under the reconstituted Legal Service Commission, to be helmed by Attorney-General Lucien Wong.
Source: Ng Jun Sen – TODAY