As many as three significant bills were approved by the Lok Sabha on Wednesday to substitute the Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure, and Indian Evidence Act.
Home Minister Amit Shah responded to the discussion on the three bills, stating that the laws align with the principles of the Constitution.
The Bharatiya Nyaya (Second) Sanhita 2023, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha (Second) Sanhita 2023, and Bharatiya Sakshya (Second) Bill 2023 aim to substitute the IPC, CrPC, and the Evidence Act, correspondingly.
The discussion on important bills did not involve many opposition parties, as 97 of their members have been barred from the House due to misconduct.
In response, Amit Shah, the Home Minister, stated that the bills represent a significant stride in delivering swift justice.
He mentioned that the phrase 'tareekh pe tareekh' from a well-known Bollywood film has been a curse for the criminal justice system.
He said, "Now the accused will get seven days to file a plea for acquittal. The judge has to hold the hearing in those seven days and in a maximum time of 120 days, the case would come to trial. There was no time limit for plea bargaining earlier. Now, if one accepts their crime within 30 days of the crime then the punishment would be less.There was no provision to present documents during trials. We have made it compulsory to produce all documents within 30 days. No delays will be made in that."
"For the poor, the biggest challenge to get justice is the financial challenge. For years, 'tareekh pe tareekh' keep going. Police hold the judicial system responsible. The government holds the police and judiciary responsible. The police and judiciary hold the government responsible for the delay. Now, we have made many things clear in the new laws," he added.
The Home Minister introduced revised bills in the Lok Sabha last week to substitute the Indian Penal Code of 1860, the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) of 1973, and the Indian Evidence Act of 1872.
