Indian Criminal Justice System Set For A Major Overhaul As HM Amit Shah Tables Bills To Replace British-Era Laws

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday (11 August) introduced three Bills in the Lok Sabha to reform the Indian criminal justice system.

These Bills aim to replace the British-era laws such as the Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure, and the Indian Evidence Act.

One of the significant proposals of these new bills is the repeal of the sedition law.

The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, and the Bharatiya Sakshya Bill, 2023 will be sent to a parliamentary panel for further scrutiny, Shah informed the Lok Sabha.

"The laws that will be repealed... the focus of those law was to protect and strengthen the British administration, the idea was to punish and not to give justice. By replacing them, the new three laws will bring the spirit to protect the rights of the Indian citizen," he said in the Lower House of Parliament, reports The Hindu.

Shah emphasised that the primary objective of the new laws is not to punish but to provide justice.

"Punishment will be given to create a sentiment of stopping crime," Shah added.