Staff Reporter
Union home minister Amit Shah today tabled bills to replace the British-era Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), and the Indian Evidence Act and to provide for capital punishment for mob lynching, sexual assaults on minors, 20-year imprisonment for gang rape besides repeal of sedition offence in Lok Sabha.
Shah said the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Bill, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita Bill, and the Bharatiya Sakshya Bill will be sent to a parliamentary panel for scrutiny.
The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 and the Bharatiya Sakshya Bill 2023 were today introduced in the Lok Sabha. While introducing the Bills, Home Minister Amit Shah said, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 will replace the Indian Penal Code 1860 and Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha, 2023 will replace the Criminal Procedure Act, 1898. He said, Bharatiya Sakshya Bill, 2023 will replace the Indian Evidence Act, 1872.
The Minister said these bills will transform the country’s criminal justice system. The legislations are aimed to provide justice to the people rather than penalizing them. He said these bills have been brought after thorough deliberations. Talking about the provisions of the Bills, he said, provisions related to sedition will be repealed completely. He said, 313 changes have been made in the laws which are aimed to strengthen the criminal justice system.
Mr. Shah said special provisions have been made to provide speedy justice to women and children. He added that special focus has been made to digitalize the entire criminal justice system. Later, the Bill was sent to the Parliamentary Standing Committee for further deliberations. When the Bills were introduced, opposition members raising the issue of the suspension of Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury staged a walkout from the house.