Home Minister Amit Shah introduces 3 bills to reform criminal justice system: Key points

Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday introduced three bills in Lok Sabha to replace Indian Penal Code, Criminal Procedure Code and Indian Evidence Act, asserting proposed laws will transform country's criminal justice system and bring spirit to protect rights of citizen at centre stage.

Introducing Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Bill, 2023; Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) Bill, 2023; and Bharatiya Sakshya Bill, 2023, he said that changes were me to provide speedy justice and for creating a legal system on par with contemporary needs and aspirations of people.

Here are major points mentioned by Home Minister in his speech in Lok Sabha:

- aim of laws is not to punish, but to provide justice. Punishment will be given to create a sentiment of stopping crime.

- Whole procedure, right from filing an FIR to case diary, charge sheet and getting judgment will be digitized.

- Forensic sciences will be in focus. A visit by a forensic team to a crime scene will be mandatory if crime entails a punishment of seven years or more.

- Three mobile forensic science Laboratories will be present in every district.

- aim is to take conviction rate up to 90 per cent.

- All courts in country will be computerised by 2027.

- For first time, filing e-FIRs will be possible.

- A zero FIR of an incident can be registered in any police station. complaint will be sent to police station concerned within 15 days.

- Every district will have a police official who will give a certificate to family of those arrested that y are responsible for arrested person. Information will have to be provided both online, and personally.

- In case of incidents of sexual violence, statement of victim and video recording will be compulsory.

- Police will have to provide a status update on a case within 90 days.

- No government will be able to withdraw a case entailing punishment of seven years imprisonment or more without hearing victim. This will protect citizen's rights.

- Community service is being introduced as a punishment for first time.

- To stop delays in cases, changes have been me. For cases entailing less than three years of imprisonment, a summary trial will be enough. This will reduce cases in session courts by 40 per cent.

- Charge sheets will have to be filed within 90 days. A court can extend it for anor 90 days. A probe will have to be finished in 180 days and should be sent for trial.

- After trial, judgment will have to be given in 30 days. It will have to be uploed online within a week.

- For filing complaints against civil servants, authorities concerned will have to give or deny permission within 120 days. If a response is not received, it will be deemed to be a yes.

- A provision has been ded for compensation through properties of a declared criminal.

- Provision has been me stricter for punishment in case of organized crime and international gangs.

- Sexual exploitation of women on pretext of marriage, job, promotions or by hiding identity will be considered a crime.

- For gang rape, re is a provision for punishment of 20 years imprisonment or life in jail.

- Provision for death sentence for raping minors.

- For mob lynching, re will be provisions for seven years of imprisonment, life imprisonment and death sentence.

- A new provision has been ded for snatching.

- Crime against children will entail a 10-year jail term as punishment. Penalties have also been increased.

- To stop political use of punishment waivers by governments, a new provision has been me that death sentences can only be converted to life imprisonment and life imprisonment can be pardoned only within seven years of punishment. This is to ensure those with political influence do not escape law.

- Sedition law will be completely repealed. "This is democracy, everyone has right to speak," Shah said.

- Previously, re was no definition of terrorism. For first time, terrorism is being defined.

- Trial to be allowed without criminals if he or she has been declared absconding. It would make trials of criminals like Dawood Ibrahim possible.

- Vehicles don't have to be kept till end of case once videography is done.

- re will be an overhaul of criminal justice system and everyone will get justice in a maximum of three years.