Lawsuits against authorities see dramatic increase

Individuals and companies are filing a lot more lawsuits against government authorities in Beijing. The number more than doubled last year compared to 2013.

Such cases are expected to increase following the implementation of a revised law on May 1, making it easier for people to access the judicial process. Last year, courts in the capital received 21,478 administrative proceedings, which are lawsuits filed against governments and bureaus, Wang Mingda, vice-president of Beijing High People's Court, said on Tuesday. The figure was a year-on-year increase of 105 percent.

Governments and bureaus were accused of adopting behavior and policies that violated the interests of individuals and companies. The major focus of such cases was related to urban development, public security, business and land resource issues.