As the new criminal laws are set to be implemented from July 1, all 17,500 police stations across the country will hold special events to inform women, youth, students, senior citizens, and eminent personalities about the key features of these laws. The laws -- the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita 2023, and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam 2023 -- will replace the British-era Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure, and Indian Evidence Act, respectively.
Coinciding with the enactment of these three criminal laws, events will be organized on July 1 by the officer-in-charge of each police station in all states and Union Territories. These programmes aim to highlight the main features of the new laws and will take place at police stations or suitable venues, the news agency PTI reported citing sources. Participants will include women, youth, students, senior citizens, retired police officers, eminent personalities, and members of self-help groups, anganwadi centers, local peace committees, and educational institutions such as schools and colleges.
Nationwide workshops on new criminal laws
According to data of the Police Organizations compiled by the Bureau of Police Research & Development (BPR&D), there are over 17,500 police stations in the country. All higher education institutions under the University Grants Commission (UGC), All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) as well as in the states and UTs will organise a day-long activities on July 1 that will focus on group discussions, workshops, seminars on various provisions of new criminal laws, highlighting the major transformation intended to achieve the ends of justice with wide participation of students, faculties and other staff. Zero FIR, registration of police complaints online, summons through electronic modes and mandatory videography of crime scenes of all heinous crimes are the key highlights of the three new criminal laws.
Government prepares for rollout of new criminal laws
The Union home ministry is gearing up to roll out the three new criminal laws from next week with 40 lakh grassroots functionaries trained to ensure people are aware about the legislations and the impact these will have on everyone, particularly women and children, official sources said Wednesday. Over 5. 65 lakh police, prison, forensics, judicial and prosecution officials have also been trained about the new laws. The BPR&D also conducted 250 training courses, organised webinars and seminars in which 40,317 officers and personnel have been trained.
Features of new criminal laws
Under the new laws, victims will receive a free copy of the FIR, ensuring their participation in the legal process. An interesting addition of the law is that in the event of an arrest, the individual has the right to inform a person of his choice about his or her situation. This will ensure immediate support and assistance to the arrested individual.
Besides, arrest details will now be prominently displayed within police stations and district headquarters, allowing families and friends of the arrested person easy access to important information. To strengthen the case and investigations, it has become mandatory for forensic experts to visit crime scenes for serious offences and collect evidence. Additionally, the process of evidence collection at the crime scene will be mandatorily videographed to prevent tampering of evidence.
This dual approach significantly enhances the quality and reliability investigations and contributes to a fair administration of justice, sources said. The new laws prioritised the investigations for offences against women and children, ensuring timely completion within two months of recording information. Under the new law, victims are entitled to regular updates on the progress of their case within 90 days.
It should be mentioned here that the new laws mandate all state governments to implement a witness protection scheme to ensure the safety and cooperation of witnesses, enhancing the credibility and effectiveness of legal proceedings. The definition of "gender" now includes transgender individuals, promoting inclusivity and equality. By conducting all legal proceedings electronically, the new laws offer convenience to victims, witnesses, and accused, thereby streamlining and expediting the entire legal process.
(With inputs from PTI)
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