In a monumental move aimed at reshaping India's criminal justice system, Union Home Minister Amit Shah introduced three groundbreaking bills in the Lok Sabha. These bills, promising a shift from punishment-oriented approaches to prioritizing justice, have ignited conversations across the nation.
Shah made significant revelations during the Lok Sabha session, outlining the transformative changes proposed in the new criminal laws. Among the notable highlights, he announced the inclusion of a provision for the death penalty in cases of mob lynching, emphasizing the government's stern stance against such heinous acts.
The proposed legislation also marks the end of an era by abolishing the sedition law—a British-era legislation utilized to incarcerate prominent figures in India's freedom struggle, including Tilak Maharaj, Mahatma Gandhi, and Sardar Patel.
The trio of bills—The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Bill, 2023, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita Bill, 2023, and the Bharatiya Sakshya Bill, 2023—introduced by Shah during the Winter Session, encapsulate various vital changes.
Shah shed light on key alterations envisaged in the bills, emphasizing enhanced police accountability through stringent measures. A mandate now requires every police station to maintain detailed records of arrested individuals, managed by designated officers.
Gender-neutral trafficking laws and stringent measures against crimes involving minors stand as pivotal components in the proposed laws. Rape cases involving girls below 18 will automatically trigger stringent provisions akin to the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
Furthermore, the bills offer a long-awaited definition of terrorism, addressing the loophole that previously lacked a clear definition in the legal framework.
The amendments also redefined hit-and-run cases, differentiating accidental incidents where immediate assistance is provided from instances involving negligence, marking a clear distinction in the severity of penalties.
In a bid to expedite legal proceedings, the proposed laws mandate a seven-day limit for the accused to file for acquittal, ensuring timely trials. Additionally, the government aims to expedite the process by introducing a 120-day trial timeline, ensuring swift justice delivery.
Amidst these reforms, Shah underscored the stringent timelines for case registration, preliminary investigations, and the presentation of evidence, significantly expediting the judicial process and preventing undue delays.
The proposed laws, with their comprehensive reforms and timelines, aim to streamline India's criminal justice system, promising swift and just redressal for victims while holding offenders accountable in a more expeditious and efficient manner.
