The new criminal law bills have been passed by the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, December 20 on the ongoing Winter Session in Parliament in New Delhi.
The new bills – Bharatiya Nyaya (Second) Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha (Second) Sanhita and Bharatiya Sakshya Bill seeks to replace the Indian Penal Code 1860, CrPC (Code of Criminal Proceedure) 1973 and the Indian Evidence Act 1872 respectively.
Speaking in the Lower House, Union home minister Amit Shah said the three bills will bring comprehensive changes to the criminal justice system with a human-centric approach and a focus on imparting justice instead of imposing penalties.
Firmly stating the existing criminal laws were reflective of the colonial mindset, he assured the new bills would have a clear definition of terrorism, scrap sedition as a crime and introduce a new section titled “offenses against the state”.
“For the first time, the criminal justice system will have the human touch. Till we repeal these old laws, we are still following laws made by the UK government. We still use English words like Her Majesty, British Kingdom, the crown, barrister, ruler after 75 years of independence,” Shah said.
The old laws had listed rape under Section 375-376, the new bill has the crime listed under Section 63, murder was listed under Section 302 now it is Section 101, kidnapping was under Section 359 and now it is Section 136, Shah said.
(With PTI inputs)
