New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the last of the Monsoon Session introduced a new bill aimed at comprehensively revamping India's colonial-era criminal laws, including the sedition law and making mob lynching a capital punishment.
Under this initiative, the Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure, and Indian Evidence Act will be substituted by the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
In this overhaul, the Code of Criminal Procedure will be replaced by the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, while the Indian Evidence Act will be substituted by the Bharatiya Sakshya. The primary focus of this bill is to establish updated legislation for addressing crimes against women and children.
"From 1860 to 2023, the country's criminal justice system functioned as per the laws made by the British. The three laws will be replaced and there will be a major change in the criminal justice system in the country," the Home Minister said.
The Home Minister announced the repeal of the sedition law, clarifying that the term "sedition" is not present in the forthcoming legislation. Instead, it has been replaced by Section 150, which pertains to actions that jeopardize the sovereignty, unity, and integrity of India. Shah also announced that the Centre plans to introduce the provision of capital punishment in mob lynching cases.
"Whoever, purposely or knowingly, by words, either spoken or written, or by signs, or by visible representation, or by electronic communication or by use of financial means, or otherwise, excites or attempts to excite, secession or armed rebellion or subversive activities, or encourages feelings of separatist activities or endangers sovereignty or unity and integrity of India; or indulges in or commits any such act shall be punished with imprisonment for life or with imprisonment which may extend to seven years and shall also be liable to fine," it says.
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