12 Dec 2023 11:13 AM GMT
The Central Government on Tuesday (December 12) introduced revised criminal reform bills in the Lok Sabha after withdrawing the previous versions.
Home Minister Amit Shah introduced 'The Bharatiya Nyaya (Second) Sanhita, 2023', 'The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha (Second) Sanhita, 2023' and 'The Bharatiya Sakshya (Second) Bill, 2023', which seek the repeal and replace the Indian Penal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure and the Indian Evidence Act respectively. The new bills incorporate the suggestions made by the Parliamentary Standing Committee.
The Home Minister said that most changes are grammatical in nature. The discussion on the bills will take place on December 14.
Last month, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs submitted its reports on the proposed bills, suggesting various changes. For example, the committee recommended that a provision to criminalise adultery- which was struck down by the Supreme Court in 2018 - be introduced in a gender-neutral form. It also recommended the retention of a provison similar to Section 377 IPC to criminalise non-consensual homosexual acts.
The panel also recommended provisions in the new CrPC bill to secure digital evidence. Concerns were also expressed by it regarding the provision allowing police custody beyond 15 days of arrest. It also suggested that modalities of online FIR be left to the States.