Discussion on three amended laws held in Shimla: Cases to be settled under new laws from July 1, says ADGP

Chief Guest ADGP (Law & Order) Abhishek Trivedi, said, “From July 1, 2024, all cases will be settled under the new criminal laws. The preparations for the new system are in full swing. Training of all officers at all levels is underway and will soon be completed. Judicial officers, forensic officers, jail officers, and anyone involved in the administration of criminal justice, need training. We have created master trainers, and every police station has master trainers. Advanced training is being provided to officers from the rank of head constable and above.”

With a focus on technology, the new laws will bring uniformity across the nation in the filing of e-FIRs with thrust on mobile phones and applications, the AGDP said, adding that all seizures made by police will now have to be accompanied by videography. He mentioned that the National Crime Records Bureau has launched a free application ‘Sabkalan’ which has information on the sections of the outgoing laws and their corresponding sections under the respective new criminal laws.

Sources said the timeline to implement the new laws would be extended, but FIRs could be registered under new laws on a trial basis.

Meanwhile, a total of 511 Sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1863 were summed up in 355 Sections, which have many sub-sections to cover many offences in the new Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.

Commandant of the First Himachal Pradesh Armed Police (HPAP) Battalion, Junga, Rohit Malpani, Professor of Law at HP National Law University, Shimla, Prof. (Dr.) Girjesh Shukla, Associate Professor of Law at HP National Law University, Shimla, Dr Santosh Kumar Sharma, and people from other fields participated in the discussion.

Professor Shukla said, “Under the Indian Civil Protection Code, there will be a uniform name for the levels of courts, whether metro or non-metro. The amount of punishment has been increased, and the range for minor offences has been expanded. This will reduce the burden on the judicial system.”

Dr Sharma said the name of the law has been changed from the Penal Code to the Justice Code because the focus has shifted.