Editor's Pick | New criminal laws will prioritise justice over punishment: Amit Shah

The three new criminal laws replacing the Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure and Indian Evidence Act came into effect on July 1. Addressing the press, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said it may take three-four years for the “entire process” and relevant “technical aspects” of the new criminal laws to become fully applicable. After implementation, people would get justice even from the Supreme Court within three years of registration of the First Information Report (FIR). Mr. Shah said that the three laws had been made available in all the languages mentioned in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, and court proceedings will also take place in these languages. On being asked about Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K Stalin’s objections to the laws, Mr. Shah clarified that the laws had been translated to Tamil and proceedings would also take place in Tamil. “Neither the [Tamil Nadu] Chief Minister, nor the members of parliament have asked time for a discussion regarding their opposition to the names of laws. I want to appeal again. If you have any grievances, meet me. Boycotting laws is not the right path, there are other ways to do politics,” he said. Earlier, on June 18, Mr. Stalin asserted in a letter to Mr. Shah that naming the laws in Sanskrit is violative of Article 348. Mr. Shah said that the total duration of police custody had not been extended to 60 days, and remained 15 days. “The total remand will be 15 days but will have to be secured within 60 days [of arrest],” he shared. The first case under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which replaces the Indian Penal Code, has been registered in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh– a case of motorcycle theft worth ₹1.8 lakh. A case registered against a Delhi street vendor has reportedly been struck down. On the subject of the missing provision penalising sexual crimes against men and transpersons, which had been covered under Section 377 of the IPC, Mr. Shah noted that there was a Supreme Court judgment on this, and it was a matter of interpretation. The new Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), which replaces the Code of Criminal Procedure, mandates the compulsory audio-video recording of search and seizure in all criminal cases, as well as mandatory forensic examination in cases where an offence attracts a punishment of seven years or more. The recordings are to be submitted before the court electronically without delay. Mr. Shah said that a leak-proof system was in place to store this data. Mr. Shah also sought to address various misconceptions that created confusion in the public about the new laws. The laws had been discussed extensively with stakeholders for four years, he said, adding that colonial-era provisions had been deleted. Notably, the crime on sedition, created by the British, has been abolished, while a new one penalising anti-national activities has been added, he shared. Mr. Shah also said 99.9% of the country’s police stations had been computerised. The process of generating an e-record had already started in 2019, and now zero-FIR, e-FIR and charge sheet were to be in a digital format The Hindu’s Editorials Sense of uncertainty: On the new criminal laws, state of preparedness ​Waiting for the reformist: On the Iran election The Hindu’s Daily Quiz Who is the chairperson of the sixteenth Finance Commission? Sudha Rajagopalan Arvind Panagariya Soumyakanti Ghosh Ajay Narayan Jha To know the answer and to play the full quiz, click here. [logo] Editor's Pick 02 July 2024 [The Hindu logo] [EP Logo] Editor's Pick 02 July 2024 In the Editor's Pick newsletter, The Hindu explains why a story was important enough to be carried on the front page of today's edition of our newspaper. [View in browser]( [More newsletters]( New criminal laws will prioritise justice over punishment: Amit Shah The three new criminal laws replacing the Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure and Indian Evidence Act [came into effect on July 1.Â]( Addressing the press, Union Home Minister [Amit Shah said it may take three-four years]( for the “entire process” and relevant “technical aspects” of the new criminal laws to become fully applicable. After implementation, people would get justice even from the Supreme Court within three years of registration of the First Information Report (FIR). Mr. Shah said that the three laws had been made available in all the languages mentioned in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, and court proceedings will also take place in these languages. On being asked about Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K Stalin’s objections to the laws, Mr. Shah clarified that the laws had been translated to Tamil and proceedings would also take place in Tamil. “Neither the [Tamil Nadu] Chief Minister, nor the members of parliament have asked time for a discussion regarding their opposition to the names of laws. I want to appeal again. If you have any grievances, meet me. Boycotting laws is not the right path, there are other ways to do politics,” he said. Earlier, on June 18, Mr. Stalin asserted in a letter to Mr. Shah that naming the laws in Sanskrit is violative of Article 348. Mr. Shah said that the total duration of police custody had not been extended to 60 days, and remained 15 days. “The total remand will be 15 days but will have to be secured within 60 days [of arrest],” he shared. The first case under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which replaces the Indian Penal Code, has been registered in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh– a case of motorcycle theft worth ₹1.8 lakh. [A case registered against a Delhi street vendor]( has reportedly been struck down. On the subject of the missing provision penalising sexual crimes against men and transpersons, which had been covered under Section 377 of the IPC, Mr. Shah noted that there was a Supreme Court judgment on this, and it was a matter of interpretation. The new Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), which replaces the Code of Criminal Procedure, mandates the compulsory audio-video recording of search and seizure in all criminal cases, as well as mandatory forensic examination in cases where an offence attracts a punishment of seven years or more. The recordings are to be submitted before the court electronically without delay. Mr. Shah said that a leak-proof system was in place to store this data.  Mr. Shah also sought to address various misconceptions that created confusion in the public about the new laws. The laws had been discussed extensively with stakeholders for four years, he said, adding that colonial-era provisions had been deleted. Notably, the crime on sedition, created by the British, has been abolished, while a new one penalising anti-national activities has been added, he shared. Mr. Shah also said 99.9% of the country’s police stations had been computerised. The process of generating an e-record had already started in 2019, and now zero-FIR, e-FIR and charge sheet were to be in a digital format The Hindu’s Editorials [Arrow][Sense of uncertainty: On the new criminal laws, state of preparedness]( [Arrow][​Waiting for the reformist: On the Iran election]( The Hindu’s Daily Quiz Who is the chairperson of the sixteenth Finance Commission? - Sudha Rajagopalan - Arvind Panagariya - Soumyakanti Ghosh - Ajay Narayan Jha To know the answer and to play the full quiz, [click here]( [Sign up for free]( Today’s Best Reads [[Decoding the new criminal laws | Watch live] Decoding the new criminal laws | Watch live]( [[June’s GST revenue growth slows to three-year low; no official statement] June’s GST revenue growth slows to three-year low; no official statement]( [[‘You are not Hindus’: Rahul Gandhi’s dig at BJP draws protests in Lok Sabha] ‘You are not Hindus’: Rahul Gandhi’s dig at BJP draws protests in Lok Sabha]( [[Opposition criticises government over economy, attacks on minorities in Rajya Sabha] Opposition criticises government over economy, attacks on minorities in Rajya Sabha]( Copyright© 2024, THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD. 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