Starting from July 1, three new criminal laws will be implemented in India, replacing the current Indian Penal Code (IPC), Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), and Indian Evidence Act. These new laws are called Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam. The Union Home Ministry announced this change through a gazette notification on Friday.
However, there’s a temporary hold on a specific provision in Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita related to ‘causing death by rash and negligent driving of a vehicle.’ This provision, under Sub Section (2) of Section 106, increases the maximum prison sentence to ten years for offenders who flee the scene of the crime instead of reporting it to the police or magistrate. This particular aspect had sparked protests in various parts of the country.
The three bills, aiming to overhaul India’s criminal justice system, had received the President’s approval in December 2023 and were officially notified on the Rashtrapati Bhavan website. The bills were initially introduced in the Lok Sabha on August 11, 2023, and later referred to a parliamentary committee headed by Brij Lal for further examination. They were eventually passed by the Lok Sabha on December 20 and the Rajya Sabha on December 21.
In summary, starting July 1, these new laws will reshape the legal landscape in India, addressing various aspects of criminal justice, with a temporary hold on a contentious provision related to reckless driving offenses.