New criminal laws will ensure end of 'tareekh pe tareekh' era: Shah in RS

NEW DELHI: Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said that the three new criminal justice laws have drawn from India's own legal jurisprudence and with their implementation, the country will have vast contribution of technology in its criminal justice system.

Replying to debate in Rajya Sabha on bills that seek to replace the Indian Penal Code (IPC) of 1860, the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) and Indian Evidence Act, Amit Shah said the implementation of new criminal laws will ensure an end to 'tareekh pe tareekh' era and justice will be given in three years.

He said the definition of terrorism has been included in the new bills.

The House earlier took up discussion on the Bharatiya Nyaya (Second) Sanhita, 2023, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha (Second) Sanhita, 2023 and the Bharatiya Sakshya (Second) Bill, 2023. The three bills were passed by Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

Amit Shah said in his reply that for the first time, changes have been made in the three laws governing the nearly 150-year-old criminal justice system. He said that after the three new laws are implemented, India's criminal justice system will take maximum advantage of technology.

"If there will be maximum contribution of technology in any system, it will be in the Indian system...The aim of the three bills is not provide punishment but give justice," he said.

He said that in old laws, instead of crimes against women, priority was given to the protection of the Treasury and the British Crown.

Shah said the government has removed the section of sedition and replaced sedition with treason.

"The implementation of new criminal laws will ensure an end to 'tareekh pe tareekh' era and justice will be given in three years," he said.

The minister said the bills have been framed after extensive deliberations since 2019 and these were also sent to the standing committee.