BEIJING, Nov.3 (Xinhua) -- Government bodies failing to publicize information legally required to be made public may face lawsuits, according to a draft regulation issued by the Supreme People' s Court (SPC) yesterday, China Daily reported Tuesday.

    Any individual citizen, legal representative or organization can file a lawsuit if they object to the government practice of not publicizing information, said the draft.

    The draft regulation was published on the website www.chinacourt.org to seek public advice and suggestions.

    The regulation is believed to be a major move to help improve transparency of government work in the country.

    The regulation was drafted based on the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information and China Administrative Procedural Law.

    The code, taking effect on May 1, 2008, stipulates that government departments should publicize information like budgets, social welfare projects, and economic statistics, and also gives people the right to demand public information.

    The regulation is aimed at standardizing trials of such cases.

    According to the regulation, if government department officials refuse to provide information because they think it is private or a "national or business secret" , they have to provide evidence that the material is confidential.

    The regulation came as the public is demanding for greater access to government information, Ren Jianming, a public administration professor of Tsinghua University, was quoted as saying.

    More public-access lawsuits will be accepted by courts and these will in turn prompt governments to be more transparent, Ren was quoted as saying.