Cabinet approves amendment to CrPC Bill

The suggestions made by the standing committee would improve the administration of the criminal justice system, Finance Minister P Chidambaram said after the meeting. He, however, declined to spell out the suggestions that had been accepted and would hence be incoporated in the Bill.

In its report to Parliament in August last year, the standing committee looked at key provisions of the Bill like the law relating to arrests, witnesses turning hostile, special provisions for protection to women, victimology, video conferencing and steps to avoid adjournments. On compensating victims, the report suggested that the Central and state governments should allocate special funds and deposit them in court for the victim compensation scheme.

The panel, however, expressed reservations about the nature of changes proposed to avoid adjournments and on the use of video-conferencing for extending the judicial custody of an accused and for recording the statements of witnesses. The provision of video linkages should not be implemented without a foolproof system in order to ensure that the statement by a witness was made voluntarily, the report concluded. The committee also felt that recording of statements through audio or video could be misused.

The report had recommended that the Government have a relook at the entire bill and come up with a comprehensive bill to revamp the criminal justice system.

In another decision, the Cabinet also gave its in-principle approval for a National Police University. The proposed institution will provide quality education, research and related activities in police subjects, including competence in areas of physical and social sciences, Chidambaram said. The Government has already identified land in Delhi for setting up the university. Forensic laboratories across the country will be attached to the university once it comes up.