Delhi Police forms panel to study new criminal law bills, prepare course material

New Delhi: After the Parliament passed the three new criminal law bills - the Bharatiya Nyaya (Second) Sanhita, 2023, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha (Second) Sanhita, 2023, and Bharatiya Sakshya (Second) Bill, 2023, intend to replace the colonial-era IPC, CrPC, and Indian Evidence Act - the Delhi Police has set up a committee of high-ranking officers to study the bills. These bills received President Droupadi Murmu's assent on December 25 during the winter session of Parliament.

While the bills await an official notification regarding the effective date of the bills from the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Delhi Police Commissioner has constituted a committee of 13 officers, under chairmanship of IPS officer Chhaya Sharma. The committee is tasked with preparing study material for Investigating Officers to gain a practical understanding and study the new provisions and changes in procedures.

According to an order issued by Deotosh KS Singh, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Headquarters-II), on Tuesday, this committee shall also endeavour to update the skills of the investigating officers under the new laws.

The committee may rope in a few lawyers and ex-Delhi police personnel to fine tune the course material to be in sync with judicial processes. The co-opted members will also be useful later in conducting classes for Delhi Police personnel and training them in practical application of BNSS, BNS and BSA.

This committee will also endeavour to update the skills of the IOs under the new laws as mentioned above so that once the notification for application and change over from old CrPC, IPC and IEA to new BNSS, BNS and BSA respectively is done, the staff is well aware of the procedural aspects as well as the nuances of the changes made in the new sections, it said. 

“The Committee may begin to create new training material to be used by Delhi Police for its officers as ready reckoner and for study at DPA. The Committee shall also be consulting the District DCSP and Joint CsP of Delhi Police for improvements in the material and simultaneously consulting NPA, NLU and Judicial Academy for good references and training materials to be incorporated in our documents,” the order read.