IPC To Go, Know Main Features Of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita

The British-era Indian Penal Code is set to be replaced by the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Know what all is changing

1. Terrorism: Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita defines terrorism as a separate offence and adopts its definition as mentioned in the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act

Terrorism defined as an act that threatens unity, integrity, security or economic security of India with intent to strike terror or likely to strike terror

2. Sedition removed as an offence. But there is a provision that penalises acts endangering sovereignty, unity and integrity of India

Sedition earlier entailed criminalising acts against the govt. Centre has now replaced rajdroh with deshdroh.

New law provides for 7-yr jail term or life imprisonment for deshdroh, will also apply to electronic communication apart from spoken or written words

3. Community service has been added as a form of punishment for minor offences, instead of imprisonment

4. Mob lynching or murder by a group of 5 or more people on grounds of caste, language or personal belief may result in death penalty

5. For the first time, there is now a proper definition of what constitutes organised crime

Offences such as kidnapping, extortion, contract killing, land grab, financial scams, and cybercrime are organised crime and may invite death sentence or life term

6. Section 377 of IPC that criminalised same-sex relations, struck down by Supreme Court, has been omitted. This removes bestiality as an offence

7. The law criminalises sexual intercourse with a woman by deceitful means or making false promises.

But consensual sexual intercourse with unmarried women is not an offence

8. The new law also criminalises printing or publishing anything related to court proceedings in rape or sexual assault cases without prior approval