Himalaya Harbinger Bureau, Rudrapur.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) announced on February 24 that three groundbreaking criminal laws – Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita, and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam – are set to come into effect from July 1, 2024. This notification follows the introduction of revised bills by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on December 12, replacing archaic British-era criminal laws.
President Droupadi Murmu granted assent to the three criminal code bills on December 25 last year after their passage during the Winter session of Parliament. The bills aim to replace the outdated Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860; the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), 1973, and the Indian Evidence Act, 1872.
The MHA notification, exercising powers conferred by the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, appoints July 1, 2024, as the effective date for these laws, excluding Section 106(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. This section, dealing with “hit and run” cases, has been temporarily put on hold. According to the notification, the punishment under Section 106(2) involves imprisonment of up to ten years for causing death by rash and negligent driving, along with a fine.
Transporters and drivers across the country had staged a strike earlier this year to protest the stringent provisions of Section 106(2) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita. The suspended section is particularly notable for its enhanced punishment compared to the current Section 304A of the Indian Penal Code, which stipulates a maximum of two years imprisonment and a fine for causing death by negligence.
This legislative overhaul marks a crucial step towards modernizing the Indian legal framework and ensuring citizen safety. The revised laws aim to address contemporary challenges and bring about more stringent consequences for offenses, contributing to a more robust criminal justice system in the country.
