STATE TIMES NEWS
New Delhi: Three new bills that seek to overhaul the colonial-era criminal laws, making punishments more stringent for crimes such as terrorism, lynching, and offences endangering national security, were approved by Parliament on Thursday.
The bills were passed in the Rajya Sabha by voice vote. The Lok Sabha had approved these on Wednesday.
The bills that repeal and replace the Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure and the Indian Evidence Act will usher in a new era in the criminal justice system, Home Minister Amit Shah said while replying to a debate in the Upper House of Parliament.
The Bharatiya Nyaya (Second) Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha (Second) Sanhita and the Bharatiya Sakshya (Second) Bills will now go to the president for her assent, upon which these will become laws.
Just like in the Lok Sabha, the legislations were passed in the Rajya Sabha in the absence of most opposition MPs, who were suspended for unruly behaviour while pressing for a discussion on the December 13 security breach in Parliament.
Replying to the debate, Shah said once the new criminal laws are implemented, the entire process from FIR to judgment will be online.
Their implementation will ensure the end of the ‘tareekh-pe-tareek’-era and justice will be delivered in three years, he said.
Elaborating on the new provisions, Shah said terrorism has been defined and mob lynching made punishable with capital punishment.
Also, stringent punishment has been prescribed for those who work against the country, he said.
The absence of the opposition Congress did not stop him from taking a swipe at the party, with Shah saying those who wear “Italian glasses” cannot feel the pride in the Indian Parliament framing the new criminal laws.
His jibe was directed at the party’s former chief Sonia Gandhi, who is of Italian descent.
Shah said the bills had perhaps the widest consultations ever and 72 per cent of the recommendations of the Parliamentary Standing Committee which scrutinised the bills were accepted.
“We were charged for protecting mob lynching. But you (Congress) did not make law, we have. There is no bigger crime than killing a human being and it will be dealt with stringently,” he said, adding the least number of mob lynching cases happened during the Narendra Modi government.
The process of e-courts, e-prisons and e-prosecution is complete, he said and added trials can also be held online.
New criminal justice bills mark end of colonial-era laws: Modi
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday hailed the passage of three criminal justice bills that will replace as many colonial-era acts as a watershed moment in India’s history, and said it marked the beginning of a new era with laws centered on public service and welfare.
“Through them, we have also bid goodbye to the outdated sections on sedition,” he said on X after Parliament gave its nod to the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam. These bills will replace the Indian Penal Code-1860, the Code of Criminal Procedure-1898 and the Indian Evidence Act of 1872, respectively.
“These bills mark the end of colonial-era laws. A new era begins with laws centered on public service and welfare,” the prime minister said.
He added, “These transformative Bills are a testament to India’s commitment to reform. They bring our legal, policing, and investigative systems into the modern era with a focus on technology and forensic science. These bills ensure enhanced protection for the poor, marginalised and vulnerable sections of our society.”
These bills, the prime minister said, come down heavily on organised crime, terrorism and such offences which strike at the root of the country’s peaceful journey to progress.
“In our Amrit Kaal, these legal reforms redefine our legal framework to be more relevant and empathy driven,” he said, highlighting speeches by Home Minister Amit Shah in Parliament which, he added, elaborate on the key features of these bills.
