Purpose behind overhaul of criminal laws is to give justice to people, not punishment: Amit Shah at Bar event

The Bills have since been referred to the Standing Committee on Home Affairs.

Addressing the valedictory session of the International Lawyers’ Conference organised by the Bar Council of India at the Vigyan Bhawan, Shah said the “purpose of older laws” brought in by the British “was to strengthen the British rule”.

“Its purpose was to punish, not to dispense justice,” he said.

“After nearly 150 years, the three new criminal laws are being brought with entirely new perspectives and provisions with a purpose to eliminate the delays in the criminal justice system… we will not see any colonial influence, and they will resonate with the essence of Indian soil, at the core of these (Bills) is the protection of the constitutional rights, human rights, and the self-defence of Indian citizens,” Shah said.

Appealing to lawyers across the country to look at all these three Bills in detail, Shah said: “Your suggestions are very valuable. … we will definitely consider those before finalising the laws.”

Asserting that the “purpose of making laws is to establish an efficient system, and not to establish the supremacy of those who make the law”, Shah said that in the last 9 years, the Centre has made efforts to “redraft or create new laws for various sectors according to contemporary needs”.