President Murmu Gives Nod To 3 Bills Replacing IPC, CrPC, Evidence Act

The Bharatiya Sakshya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita Bill, and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Bill, were passed by both Houses of Parliament earlier amid a stormy Winter Session.

The three criminal bills to replace the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), and the Evidence Act were signed into law on Monday by President Droupadi Murmu, news agency PTI reported. The Bharatiya Sakshya Sanhita, 2023, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita Bill, 2023, and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Bill, 2023 were passed by both Houses of Parliament earlier amid a stormy Winter Session in which 146 Opposition MPs were suspended.

On August 11, 2023, the three acts were initially proposed in the Lower House of Parliament. However, the administration decided earlier this month to replace them with fresh ones after the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs proposed adjustments.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah hailed the Bills' approval as the "beginning of a new era," adding the legislations were aimed at providing Indians with timely justice while respecting their human rights.

The Indian Penal Code (IPC) has been superseded by the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) by the Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, and the Indian Evidence Act by the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam.

Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita will include 358 sections (instead of the IPC's 511 sections). A total of 20 additional offences have been added to the law, and the jail sentence for 33 of them has been enhanced. In 83 offenses, the fine has been raised, and obligatory minimum penalty has been implemented in 23. Six felonies now have a community service punishment, while 19 sections of the law have been repealed or eliminated.

Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita will include 531 sections (instead of CrPC's 484). The law has been amended in total by 177 provisions, with nine new sections and 39 new sub-sections added. The proposed statute includes 44 new provisions and clarifications. Timelines have been added to 35 parts, and audio-video support has been provided in 35 locations. A total of 14 sections of the law have been repealed or eliminated.

Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam now has 170 provisions (rather than the original 167), and 24 sections have been amended. Two new provisions and six sub-provisions have been introduced to the law, while six provisions have been repealed or eliminated.