3 Criminal Laws, replacing colonial-era codes, to come into effect from July 1; Some key takeaways

New Delhi: The three criminal laws -- Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023; Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023 will come into effect from July 1, 2024, a Home Ministry notification has said.

While issuing the notification, the government has put on hold the provisions of the entry relating to Section 106(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, in the First Schedule.

"In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (2) of section 1 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (45 of 2023), the Central Government hereby appoints the 1st day of July, 2024 as the date on which the provisions of the said Sanhita, except the provision of sub-section (2) of section 106, shall come into force," the Home Ministry notification said.

It may be mentioned that the motors transport unions had protested raising objection to the Section 106(2) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which provides a 10-year jail term in a hit-and-run case.

However, the government after a series of meetings had assured that a decision on implementing the section will only happen after discussion with All India Motor Transport Congress.

The three amended Bills that seek to repeal and replace the Criminal Laws were passed by the Parliament during the Winter Session in December, 2023.

The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam will replace the Indian Penal Code, 1860; Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898; and the Indian Evidence Act, 1872, respectively.

Some key takeaways of new laws:

• Introduce changes dealing with offences of terrorism and acts against the State
• Allow the registration of e-FIRs
• Factor in corruption in the election processes
• Make electronic evidence a form of primary proof
• Separately define crimes like mob lynching for the first time
• Include detailed provisions and enhanced punishment for crimes against women and children