Three New Criminal Laws Come Into Force On 1st July 2024

BY: THE LEX TIMES

Three new criminal laws — Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita 2023 and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam 2023 — will come into effect today, July 1. These laws will replace the British-era Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure and the Indian Evidence Act.

Colonial-era criminal codes will be replaced by the newly enacted Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam starting Monday. The government has promised that these changes will thoroughly reform the country’s criminal justice system. Despite the Opposition’s call for a delay, citing their absence during discussions in the previous Lok Sabha, the new codes will be implemented as planned. Although training sessions have been conducted for states, police forces, and judicial agencies, there are concerns about the smooth transition to the new codes, which were passed in Parliament on December 21 last year and received the President’s assent four days later.