Any law becomes out of date after 50 years: Shah on IPC replacement

There has been no change in the IPC, CrPC or the Evidence Act since 1860. Any law becomes out of date' after 50 years. The scale of crime has changed, said Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday justified the need to replace the IPC, CrPC and the Evidence Act saying any law becomes out of date' after 50 years.

"There has been no change in the IPC, CrPC or the Evidence Act since 1860. Any law becomes out of date' after 50 years. The scale of crime has changed, and so has the method of committing them but there has been no change in the method of dealing with them," Shah said.

Addressing the 49th All India Police Science Congress, he said this has had a crippling effect on the country's criminal justice system.

Speaking of the three new legislations -- the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (to replace IPC), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (to replace CrPC) and Bharatiya Sakshya (to replace the Evidence Act) -- under consideration of a parliamentary panel, he said they will replace the three old codes once passed by the Parliament.

It will expedite disposal of cases as they won't get inordinately delayed, Shah added.

He said numerous reforms right from the home ministry to the last police station have been conceived for "Amrit Kaal" and it is the time to implement them on the ground.

The All India Police Science Congress covers six subjects, including policing in the 5G era, narcotics, challenges of social media, community policing, internal security, coordination between police and the Central Armed Police Forces, Shah said.

The scope of the subjects taken up completely cover the country's internal security, law and order, and border security, the Union home minister said.