While introducing the bills, Shah mentioned that the new bill on the Indian Penal Code (IPC) will completely repeal the offence of sedition.

The three bills the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, and the Bharatiya Sakshya Bill, 2023 will be sent to a parliamentary panel for further scrutiny, Amit Shah said on Friday. 

“The laws that will be repealed… the focus of those law was to protect and strengthen the British administration, the idea was to punish and not to give justice. By replacing them, the new three laws will bring the spirit to protect the rights of the Indian citizen,” he said in the Lower House of Parliament.

Notably, the three prevalent British-era laws had been functioning for criminal justice system in India till date. “From 1860 to 2023, the country’s criminal justice system functioned as per the laws made by the British. With these three laws there will be a major change in the criminal justice system in the country,” he said.

Here are the top points of these three bills 

-The Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, states that the provision of bail if one half of maximum period of punishment under the crime committed the person has stayed in jail during trial.

-Under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, for organised crimes and terrorist activities, new offences of terrorist acts and organised crime have been added in the Bill with deterrent punishments.

-In Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which seeks to repeal IPC, various offences have been made gender neutral.

-A new offence on acts of secession, armed rebellion, subversive activities, separatist activities or endangering sovereignty or unity and integrity of India has also been added. 

-The fines and punishment for various offences have also been suitably enhanced.

-The bill also facilitates a time-bound approval to prosecute civil servants

-A provision has been brought in to try absconding criminals such as Dawood Ibrahim in absentia

-Offences such as separatism and waging war against the country are defined as separate offences

-In cases of gangrape, 20-year imprisonment and life imprisonment have been introduced now. In cases involving girls less than 18 years old, provision of capital punishment has been made.

-Union Home Minister Amit Shah said in cases of mob lynching, jail for 7 years, life imprisonment and capital punishment, all three provisions have been made

-As reported by India Today, the new bills propose changes in punishment for rape. There will be provisions for the death penalty for the rape of minors

-Amit Shah also mentioned that the term ‘life imprisonment’ will be defined as ‘imprisonment for natural life’.

Updated: 11 Aug 2023, 03:56 PM IST