Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on July 1 that three new criminal laws This bill, which came into effect from Monday, will bring far-reaching changes in India's criminal justice system and will help in speeding up the judicial process.
The new laws – Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) – replaced the British-era IPC, Code of Criminal Procedure and the Indian Evidence Act, respectively.
“First of all, I want to congratulate the people of the country that after almost 77 years of independence, our criminal justice system is becoming completely indigenous. It will work on Indian values.” Shah he said while addressing the media on Monday.
He said, “After 75 years, these laws were considered and from today when these laws have come into force, the colonial laws have been abolished and the laws made in the Indian Parliament are being implemented.” home Minister He said that now there is justice in place of punishment.
“Instead of delay, there will be quick trial and speedy justice. Earlier, only the rights of the police were protected, but now the rights of victims and complainants will also be protected,” Shah said.
These laws were passed in Parliament in December 2023. While the new laws were introduced as part of an exercise to scrap existing criminal laws, legal experts and activists opposed its implementation, saying the government should have held wider consultations before implementing it. implemented them,
Shah said the government has prioritised the sections and chapters in accordance with the spirit of our Constitution. ConstitutionHe said first priority has been given to the chapters related to crimes against women and children.
“I believe this should have been done long ago. An entire chapter with 35 sections and 13 provisions has been added. Now gang rape will be punishable with 20 years imprisonment or life imprisonment, rape of a minor will be punishable with death, sexual exploitation by concealing identity or making false promises has been considered a separate offence.” Shah He said that a provision has been made to record the statement of the victim at her home in the presence of women officers and her family.
“Besides, the facility of online FIR has also been provided; we believe that in this way a lot of women can be saved from embarrassment,” he added.
The opposition attacked the government, accusing it of forcibly passing these laws by suspending MPs and claimed that major parts of the laws were a “cut, copy and paste job”.
Union Home Minister Terming the opposition's allegations as baseless, he said that the opposition did not participate in the debate on these laws in Parliament. Shah requested the opposition parties to rise above politics and refrain from criticizing these laws. He also said that he would welcome any opinion of the opposition on the new criminal laws.
