‘Transition to new criminal laws from July 1 will be smooth’
Times of India | 17 June 2024
Kolkata: There would be a smooth transition to the three new criminal laws, passed by Parliament in 2023, once they were implemented from July 1, Union MoS (independent charge) of law and justice said on Sunday. Cases that have already been registered under Indian Penal Code and Code of Criminal Procedure, however, would continue to follow the old laws till a verdict was reached.
“There will not be any trouble even if a person goes to register an FIR in a remote area.There will be a smooth transition from July 1 and speedy disposal of justice. However, cases already registered will follow the old laws,” said Meghwal.
The minister added: “The Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and Bharatiya Sakshadhiniyam are meant to give justice to people and not to punish them. There is a huge difference in the approach. For the British, punishing Indians was important.”
Addressing the inaugural session of a seminar on the administration of the criminal justice system in Kolkata, Meghwal said national judicial academies and law universities had been imparting training on the new criminal codes. “We will increase infrastructure, increase the number of forensic laboratories. The three new laws will be effective from July 1,” he said.
The minister said inputs and proposals had come from “18 states, six Union Territories, Chief Justices of 16 high courts, 144 MPs and 270 MLAs”, apart from numerous organisations and institutions over the past four years. “These suggestions were debated in at least 58 official and hundreds of unofficial meetings. We are implementing them because the people wanted to change colonial law,” Meghwal said.