How government is preparing for new criminal law regime, set to come into effect tomorrow
India’s three new criminal laws — Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and Bharatiya Sakshya Act (BSA) — will come into effect on Monday (July 1). In the run-up to the implementation, the government has made preparations by holding meetings with various central ministries, state/UT chief secretaries and police chiefs. Moreover, a host of events have been planned to commemorate the day.
Here is a look at these preparations and events.
OPERATIONAL TRAINING
Bar Council of India has mandated that the new laws be incorporated into curricula of universities and Centres of Legal Education from the 2024-25 academic year. The Department of School Education will have special modules for Classes 6 upward between October and March.
Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy Of Administration (LBSNAA), Mussoorie has conducted a five-day training programme for IAS/ IPS /judicial officers, and those from crime records bureaus, forensic labs, etc.
Ministries of WCD, Rural Development, Panchayati Raj held a Hindi webinar on June 21 on the new laws for almost 40 lakh grassroots functionaries; a second webinar in English on June 25 was attended by almost 50 lakh.
PUBLICITY, AWARENESS
The Bureau of Police Research and Development is coordinating efforts of the Inter-Ministerial Group for a coordinated publicity campaign. Thematic posters and flyers have been shared with all departments. Extensive visibility for the new laws is planned through advisories, press releases, infographics etc. on social media platforms.
The Press Information Bureau has conducted vartalap (conversations) and workshops for regional media persons in 20 state capitals on the new criminal laws. The vartalaps have received significant traction, with widespread participation of the regional media, according to a government official. More vartalaps will be held in other capital cities as well,” the official said.
TECH UPGRADATION
National Crime Records Bureau has made 23 functional modifications in the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS) application to facilitate tech compatibility, including on registration of FIRs. Technical assistance is being provided to states/ UTs, and support teams and a call centre are being set up for review and handholding. A mobile web application, NCRB Sankalan of Criminal Laws, was launched on March 14.
National Informatics Centre has developed applications such as eSakshya, NyayShruti, and eSummon to facilitate videography/ photography of crime scenes, judicial hearings, and delivery of court summons electronically. The apps have been shared with states/UTs, an official said.
CAPACITY OF POLICE
The Bureau of Police Research and Development has developed 13 training modules to build capacity of the police, prisons, prosecutors, judicial officers, forensic experts, and central police organisations. A group of master trainers is being built to disseminate training and knowledge down the line.
BPR&D has already conducted 250 training courses/ webinars/ seminars, and trained more than 40,000 officers/ personnel. States/ UTs have undertaken capacity building of a large number of officials from the police, prisons, forensics, and prosecution etc, an official said. A control room has been set up with law and police officers to address queries from field functionaries.
LEGAL AFFAIRS DEPT
The Department of Legal Affairs has organised four conferences with delegates from a diverse range of fields, in which the Chief Justice of India, judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts, senior police personnel and domain experts have participated, an official said. A fifth conference is scheduled to be held in Mumbai on June 30.
Comprehensive guidance will be provided to individual civil service officials on the iGOT Karmayogi online platform. Three training courses on the new criminal laws have been offered as a curated program on iGOT from February 21 onward, and almost 2,18,000 officials have enrolled, an official said.
PLANNED EVENTS
All higher education institutions under UGC, AICTE and CFIs, and in the states/UTs will organise a day-long activities on Monday. Group discussions, workshops, seminars, etc on various provisions of new criminal laws have been planned. Police stations across India will also conduct events.
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