New Delhi, August 19: Rajya Sabha Chairperson Jagdeep Dhankhar took a significant step on Friday by referring three proposed laws, intended to replace the IPC, CrPC, and the Evidence Act, to the Standing Committee on Home Affairs for thorough examination. The Chairperson urged the committee to furnish its report within a span of three months.
These legislative proposals—namely the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, and the Bharatiya Sakshya Bill—were introduced in the Lok Sabha by Home Minister Amit Shah on August 11. Once enacted, these bills will supplant the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), and the Indian Evidence Act, respectively.
During the introduction of the bills, Shah highlighted their potential to overhaul India’s criminal justice system, aimed at delivering swift justice and crafting a legal framework that aligns with the contemporary needs and aspirations of the populace.
According to a bulletin released by the Rajya Sabha Secretariat, “On 18th August 2023, the Chairman, Rajya Sabha, in consultation with the Speaker, Lok Sabha, has referred the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023; the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023; and the Bharatiya Sakshya Bill, 2023, as introduced in the Lok Sabha and pending therein, to the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs, for examination and report within three months.” The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs comprises members from both Houses of Parliament and is presided over by BJP member Brij Lal.
Among the significant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita are alterations to existing laws concerning defamation and attempted suicide, along with an expanded framework for offenses against women, particularly concerning sexual intercourse through “deceitful means.” The legislation also introduces new offenses such as secession, armed rebellion, subversive activities, and actions that endanger national sovereignty or unity—a modernized interpretation of sedition law.
Notably, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita introduces an official definition of terrorism for the first time, a distinction that was absent under the IPC. PTI SKC.
