President Droupadi Murmu on Monday gave assent to the three new criminal justice bills which were cleared by Parliament last week.
The three new laws — the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and the Bharatiya Sakshya Act — will replace the colonial era Indian Penal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure and the Indian Evidence Act of 1872.
While replying to a debate on the three bills in Parliament, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had said the focus were on delivering justice rather than handing down punishment.
The legislation aim at completely overhauling the criminal justice system in the country by giving definition of various offences and their punishments. These have given a clear definition of terrorism, abolished sedition as a crime and introduced a new section titled “offenses against the state”.
Just like in the Lok Sabha, the legislations were passed in the Rajya Sabha last week in the absence of most opposition MPs, who were suspended for unruly behaviour while pressing for a discussion on the December 13 security breach in Parliament.
Replying to the debate, Amit Shah said once the new criminal laws are implemented, the entire process from FIR to judgment will be online.
Their implementation will ensure the end of the ‘tareekh-pe-tareek’-era and justice will be delivered in three years, he said.
Elaborating on the new provisions, Shah said terrorism has been defined and mob lynching made punishable with capital punishment. Also, stringent punishment has been prescribed for those who work against the country, he said.
The absence of the opposition Congress did not stop him from taking a swipe at the party, with Shah saying those who wear “Italian glasses” cannot feel the pride in the Indian Parliament framing the new criminal laws.
His jibe was directed at the party’s former chief Sonia Gandhi, who is of Italian descent.
Shah said the bills had perhaps the widest consultations ever and 72 per cent of the recommendations of the Parliamentary Standing Committee which scrutinised the bills were accepted.