Informist, Monday, Jul 1, 2024

NEW DELHI - Union Home Minister Amit Shah today assured that the new criminal laws replacing the British-era Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure, and the Indian Evidence Act would help boost the pace of the judicial process.

"I would like to congratulate the people of the country that, after about 77 years of independence, our criminal justice system is becoming completely 'Swadeshi'," Shah said, briefing reporters on the new criminal laws that come into effect from today.

The three new criminal laws — Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam – bring in widespread changes to India's criminal justice system. The new system has provisions like Zero First Information Reports, online registration of police complaints, summoning through electronic modes such as short messaging service and mandatory videography of crime scenes for all heinous crimes.

The three new laws were passed by the Parliament during the Winter Session in December.

Shah had earlier assured that the aim to bring in the three new laws was to modernise the archaic criminal justice system and be a way to deliver "justice" instead of being "a source of punishment for Indians" under the British Raj.

Meanwhile, opposition groups and lawyers have raised concerns about the rollout of the new criminal laws, saying the changes are being implemented too hastily and without proper consultation. Congress leader and Lok Sabha member Manish Tewari has demanded that Parliament re-examine the new criminal laws.

"The new criminal Laws that came into effect from 12 midnight July 1st 2024 lay the foundations of turning India into a Police State," Tiwari said on his X handle, stressing that the implementation of the new laws must be stopped forthwith and Parliament must re-examine them.

In Chennai, lawyers affiliated to several bar associations staged protests in front of the Madras High Court today, urging the Centre to withhold the three new criminal laws. End

Reported by Shahid K Abbas

Edited by Avishek Dutta

For users of real-time market data terminals, Informist news is available exclusively on the NSE Cogencis WorkStation.

Cogencis news is now Informist news. This follows the acquisition of Cogencis Information Services Ltd by NSE Data & Analytics Ltd, a 100% subsidiary of the National Stock Exchange of India Ltd. As a part of the transaction, the news department of Cogencis has been sold to Informist Media Pvt Ltd.

Informist Media Tel +91 (11) 4220-1000

Send comments to feedback@informistmedia.com

© Informist Media Pvt. Ltd. 2024. All rights reserved.