Rajya Sabha passes momentous Bills to replace IPC, CrPC, Evidence Act
Dec 21, 2023
New Delhi [India], December 21 : Three momentous Bills to replace the Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure and Indian Evidence Act were passed by the Rajya Sabha on Thursday.
Home Minister Amit Shah replied to the debate on the three bills and said that the three new criminal justice laws have drawn from India's own legal jurisprudence and with their implementation, the country will have vast contributions of technology in its criminal justice system.
Replying to the debate in Rajya Sabha on bills that seek to replace the Indian Penal Code (IPC) of 1860, the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) and Indian Evidence Act, Amit Shah said the implementation of new criminal laws will ensure an end to 'tareekh pe tareekh' era and justice will be given in three years.
The Bharatiya Nyaya (Second) Sanhita 2023; Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha (Second) Sanhita 2023; and Bharatiya Sakshya (Second) Bill 2023 seek to replace the IPC, CrPC and the Evidence Act respectively.
The House earlier took up discussion on the Bharatiya Nyaya (Second) Sanhita, 2023, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha (Second) Sanhita, 2023 and the Bharatiya Sakshya (Second) Bill, 2023. The three bills were passed by Lok Sabha on Wednesday.
Amit Shah said in his reply that for the first time, changes have been made in the three laws governing the nearly 150-year-old criminal justice system.
He said that after the three new laws are implemented, India's criminal justice system will take maximum advantage of technology.
"If there will be maximum contribution of technology in any system, it will be in the Indian system...The aim of the three bills is not provide punishment but give justice," he said
He said that in old laws, instead of crimes against women, priority was given to the protection of the Treasury and the British Crown.
Shah said the government has removed the section of sedition and replaced sedition with treason.
The debate on the key bills did not see participation from most opposition parties, as 46 of their members have been suspended from the House for the remainder of winter session for "misconduct".
The amended bills to replace Indian Penal Code of 1860, Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) of 1973 and Indian Evidence Act, of 1872 were introduced in Lok Sabha by the Home Minister last week.
