The three new criminal laws have come into effect in India. The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and Bharatiya Sakshya Act (BSA) have replaced the colonial era Indian Penal Code (IPC), Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), and Indian Evidence Act, respectively.
These laws will bring several reforms to India’s criminal justice system. The legislation, which the Centre says will ensure “speedy justice”, has provisions like Zero FIR, online registration of police complaints and summoning through electronic modes such as SMS.
After the new criminal laws were enforced, the first FIR was filed at 12.10 am in Madhya Pradesh’s Gwalior in case of motorcycle theft. The Delhi Police on Monday (July 1) lodged its first FIR under provisions of the BNS against a street vendor in the Kamala Market.
The Centre started preparations for a smooth switch to the new criminal laws soon after they were notified on December 25. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has conducted multiple meetings with states and Union Territories (UTs). An MHA official said that the ministry has “held regular meetings with states/UTs. States and UTs are geared up in terms of technology, capacity building and awareness generation” to implement the three criminal laws.
The new criminal laws have provisions pertaining to Zero FIR and online registration of police complaints. The Home Secretary also held five review meetings with Chief Secretaries and Directors General of Police of States/UTs to chalk out a blueprint for the effective implementation of the three laws.
