CRI听力:Lawmakers Review Changes to Administrative Procedure Law

Reporter:
The amendment states that when the court accepts a lawsuit filed by the public against an administrative body, the person in charge of the administrative body should appear in court.
 
Previously, instead of appearing in court, government bodies would nominate lawyers to represent them.

Liu Yaping is with the High People's Court of Jiangsu Province.

"The system has held back the public's confidence in settling disputes with the government via lawsuit. And because of this, some people have chosen to resort to the petition system rather than filing lawsuits."

Song Ruya is the deputy director of the Jiangsu Housing and Urban-Rural Development Department.

He has stood in court for the department in several administrative cases.

"We got to know what the public is complaining about by appearing in court. Otherwise, the complaints go through several channels before reaching us, and by then some information can be missing. By standing in court, we also show our respect to the public and to the law. "

Meanwhile, the revision also simplifies the criteria for the public to sue administrative bodies.

Under the current law, a citizen can file a lawsuit against an administrative body if the individual considers that his or her lawful rights have been infringed by a specific administrative act.

The revision has taken out the word "specific" in a bid to broaden the scope of lawsuits.

Ma Huade is the deputy head of the China University of Political Science and Law.

"Previously, when a citizen brought a case to the court, the court might refuse to accept the suit by saying the case did not involve a specific administrative act. The revision will deprive the court of such an excuse to refuse to accept the lawsuit. No matter whether the administrative act is specific or not, as long as it infringes the individual's rights and interests, he or she is entitled to file a lawsuit. "

The current administrative procedure law has been in use since 1990.

The first revision was handed in for review last year.

The current revision has been submitted to the bi-monthly session of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress.

For CRI, I'm Alexander Aucott .