India’s 3 new criminal laws to come into force from July 1

The government, however, has put on hold the provision related to hit-and-run cases under the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita.

The new laws were passed by Parliament in the Winter Session. President Droupadi Murmu gave her assent to the three laws on December 25. (File)

The Centre has issued three gazette notifications, informing that the three new criminal laws — Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and Bharatiya Sakshya Act — will be effective July 1. But it has put on hold the provision related to hit-and-run cases under the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita.

The new laws were passed by Parliament in the Winter Session. President Droupadi Murmu gave her assent to the three laws on December 25. Last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi directed that new criminal laws should be rolled out in a targeted manner in all Union Territories (UTs).

The gazette notification issued on Friday reads, “In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (2) of section 1 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (45 of 2023), the Central Government hereby appoints July 1, 2024, as the date on which the provisions of the said Sanhita, except the provision of sub-section (2) of section 106, shall come into force.”

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In January, transporters’ associations across the country staged protests against certain provisions under the new code, as per which any driver who causes the death of a person by rash and negligent driving and flees from the spot will be jailed for up to 10 years and/or fined. The Centre had assured all transporters that a decision on enforcing the stringent provisions in such cases under Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita will be taken only after consultation with the All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC).

The Government has also decided to form a team of 3,000 officers who will train police officers, investigators and forensic experts to implement the new laws across the country in a “zone-wise” manner. “The focus of the training will be on forensic evidence. There will be a model set-up in Chandigarh to ensure a foolproof online mechanism as most of the records would be digital,” a source said.

Another notification issued on Friday states, “In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (3) of section 1 of the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023 (47 of 2023), the Central Government hereby appoints July 1, 2024 as the date on which the provisions of the said Adhiniyam shall come into force.”

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“In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (3) of section 1 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (46 of 2023), the Central Government hereby appoints July 1, 2024, as the date on which the provisions of the said Sanhita, except the provisions of the entry relating to section 106(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, in the First Schedule, shall come into force.” it adds.

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Last month, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla had a meeting with chief secretaries, advisers to administrators and all the police chiefs of UTs to review their preparedness. They were asked to immediately flag issues that they faced in the process of implementation of the laws to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

“Bhalla asked them that they should conduct a comprehensive review of their existing infrastructure as well as the requirements for the roll-out of the new laws. They were also asked to conduct necessary consultations with the stakeholders concerned, including the high courts concerned, to make realistic assessments,” said a source, adding that PM Modi has desired that UTs must implement the laws immediately from the date of notification.

Mahender Singh Manral

Mahender Singh Manral is an Assistant Editor with the national bureau of The Indian Express. He is known for his impactful and breaking stories. He covers the Ministry of Home Affairs, Investigative Agencies, National Investigative Agency, Central Bureau of Investigation, Law Enforcement Agencies, Paramilitary Forces, and internal security. Prior to this, Manral had extensively reported on city-based crime stories along with that he also covered the anti-corruption branch of the Delhi government for a decade. He is known for his knack for News and a detailed understanding of stories. He also worked with Mail Today as a senior correspondent for eleven months. He has also worked with The Pioneer for two years where he was exclusively covering crime beat. During his initial days of the career he also worked with The Statesman newspaper in the national capital, where he was entrusted with beats like crime, education, and the Delhi Jal Board. A graduate in Mass Communication, Manral is always in search of stories that impact lives. ... Read More

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