India to Implement New Criminal Laws from July 1, 2024, Replacing Colonial-Era Legislation

Tags: National

On 21 June 2024, the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) under the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions (MoPPG&P) announced the enactment of three new criminal laws effective from 1 July 2024.

An Overview of the News

• Enactment of three new criminal laws effective from 1 July 2024

  • Bharatiya Nyaya (Second) Sanhita (BNS2) Act, 2023

  • Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha (Second) Sanhita (BNSS2) Act, 2023

  • Bharatiya Sakshya (Second) Adhiniyam Act, 2023

• These new laws replace the British-colonial era laws:

  • The Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860

  • The Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), 1973

  • The Indian Evidence Act (IEA), 1872

• President Droupadi Murmu gave assent to these laws on 24th December 2023.

• On 19th June 2024, the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) proposal for the National Forensic Infrastructure Enhancement Scheme (NFIES).

  • The scheme has a budget of over Rs 2200 crore for the period from FY25 (2024-25) to FY29 (2028-29).

Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA):

• Union Minister: Amit Shah (Lok Sabha constituency: Gandhinagar, Gujarat)

• Minister of State (MoS): Nityanand Rai (Lok Sabha constituency: Ujiarpur, Bihar)

• Minister of State (MoS): Bandi Sanjay Kumar (Lok Sabha constituency: Karimnagar, Telangana)