The Lok Sabha today passed the Bharatiya Nyaya (Second) Sanhita, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha (Second) Sanhita and the Bharatiya Sakshya (Second) Bill amid suspension of opposition MPs.
Staff Reporter / New Delhi
The Lok Sabha today passed the three criminal laws — the Bharatiya Nyaya (Second) Sanhita, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha (Second) Sanhita and the Bharatiya Sakshya (Second) Bill . The three Bill were passed amid suspension of 97 Opposition MPs from the Lower House amid protest over Parliament security breach.
The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita will replace the Indian Penal Code-1860, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita will replace the CrPC of 1973 and the Bharatiya Sakshya Bill will replace the Indian Evidence Act of 1872.
What amended criminal laws say
The Bills were tabled by the Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday. Speaking about the Bills on Wednesday, Shah said, “Now the accused will get seven days to file a plea for acquittal…”
“A judge has to hold the hearing in those seven days and in a maximum time of 120 days, the case would come to trial. There was no time limit for plea bargaining earlier,” Amit Shah added.
He said that under the new amended laws, now, “if one accepts their crime within 30 days of the crime, then the punishment would be less…” He added, “There was no provision to present documents during trials. We have made it compulsory to produce all documents within 30 days. No delays will be made in that.”
Moreover, if the accused fails to appear before the court within 90 days, then the trial will proceed in his/her absence, Shah said. In that case, “a lawyers appointed by the government will get the person bail or him/her on death trial…there will be a quick procedure to bring the accused to India from other countries,” Shah said.
Amit Shah also addressed the financial challenges faced by the need when persuing a case in a court. “For years ‘Tareekh pe tareekh’ keep going. Police hold the judicial system responsible. The government holds the police and judiciary responsible. The police and judiciary hold the government responsible for the delay. Now, we have made many things clear in the new laws…,” Amit Shah said.