"New criminal laws introduced as per needs of changing India": Jharkhand HC Advocate Association
Jul 01, 2024
Ranchi (Jharkhand) [India], July 1 : Secretary General of the Advocate Association in the Jharkhand High Court, Navin Kumar, said that the newly implemented criminal laws have been introduced according to the needs of changing India and will ensure justice is provided on time.
Speaking to ANI on Monday, Kumar said, "The new laws have been introduced according to the needs of changing India and they will ensure justice is provided on time. Training has been provided to lawyers, judicial officers, etc. The transition will be very smooth."
The new criminal laws, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, and Bharatiya Sakshya Sanhita, came into effect on July 1 at midnight.
The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA), passed in Parliament last December, will replace the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860, the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), 1973, and the Indian Evidence Act, 1872, respectively.
Several new provisions have been incorporated into the three new criminal laws to suit contemporary times and the technologies in vogue. The forthcoming laws introduce several progressive provisions aimed at enhancing efficiency and fairness in the legal process.
The three new laws received Parliament's nod on December 21, 2023. President Droupadi Murmu gave her assent on December 25, 2023, and was published in the official gazette on the same day.
Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita will have 358 sections (instead of 511 sections in the IPC). A total of 20 new crimes have been added to the bill, and the imprisonment sentence has been increased for 33 of them. The amount of the fine has been increased in 83 crimes and mandatory minimum punishment has been introduced in 23 crimes. The penalty of community service has been introduced for six crimes and 19 sections have been repealed or removed from the bill.
Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita will have 531 sections (in place of 484 sections of CrPC). A total of 177 provisions have been changed in the bill, and nine new sections as well as 39 new sub-sections have been added to it. The draft act has added 44 new provisions and clarifications. Timelines have been added to 35 sections and audio-video provision has been added at 35 places. A total of 14 sections have been repealed and removed in the Sanhita.
Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam will have 170 provisions (instead of the original 167 provisions, and a total of 24 provisions have been changed. Two new provisions and six sub-provisions have been added and six provisions have been repealed or deleted in the Adhiniyam.
