Trained cops, new apps: Centre readies for rollout of three criminal laws

Parliament passed the three laws - the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita 2023 and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam 2023 - in its winter session last year

The Centre on Wednesday said it had taken several steps, including training of nearly four million grassroots functionaries and half a million police and prison personnel, to ensure a smooth rollout of three criminal laws.

Parliament had passed the three laws — the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita 2023 and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam 2023 — in its winter session last year. The laws were notified on December 25, 2023, and will come into force from July 1. The laws will replace the Indian Penal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure, and the Indian Evidence Act, respectively.

The Opposition members of the parliamentary standing committee on home had submitted their dissent in the final report. Recently, the Opposition demanded a parliamentary review of the three laws. In her letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urged him that the Centre should not implement the laws as they were passed in undue haste and called for a parliamentary review of the laws.

However, the Centre, officials said, had prepared extensively for the rollout of the laws. These laws envisage greater use of technology in the criminal justice system for which the National Informatics Centre (NIC) has developed three apps — eSakshya, NyayShruti and eSummon — which will facilitate videography and photography of crime scenes, judicial hearings and delivery of court summons electronically.

The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) has made 23 functional modifications in the existing Crime and Criminal Tracking Networks and Systems (CCTNS) application under which all cases are registered now in every police station in the country, sources said. The NCRB is also providing technical assistance to states and Union Territories to help in transition to the new system.

Some of the highlights of the laws include a provision of ‘zero’ first information report (FIR), registration of police complaints online, summons through electronic modes and mandatory videography of the crime scenes in case of heinous crimes.

Under the new laws, a person can now report incidents by electronic communication, without the need to physically visit a police station. With the introduction of zero FIR, an individual can lodge an FIR at any police station, regardless of jurisdiction. The process of evidence collection at the crime scene will be mandatorily videographed to prevent tampering of evidence.

The accused and victims are entitled to receive copies of FIRs, police reports, chargesheets, statements, confessions and other documents within 14 days. Courts can grant a maximum of two adjournments to avoid unnecessary delays in case hearings, ensuring timely delivery of justice.

The new laws mandate all state governments to implement a witness-protection scheme. A new chapter has been added in the BNS to address offences against women and children. The laws introduce community service for minor offences.

Going the extra mile

·        4 million grassroots-level functionaries trained

·        565,746 police, prison, forensics, judicial and prosecution officials trained

·        36 support teams and call centres to handhold states and UTs

·        3 new apps developed for delivery of summons and collection of evidence