Mizoram Assembly Speaker Lalbiakzama on Wednesday encouraged people to heed and take advantage of the new criminal laws during an event organised by Press Information Bureau at Aijal Club.
Addressing the Workshop on the New Criminal Law as Chief Guest, the speaker said that it is important that the people know the new criminal laws but media plays a vital role in spreading awareness on the new laws. He also said everyone must be aware of their rights and must heed new laws as we live in a democratic country.
Lalbiakthanga Khiangte emphasised the initial staff training and also highlighted technological advancements such as E-FIR applications, FIR status checks, and QR codes to streamline police work.
Highlighting the objective of the new criminal law, the speaker said the objectives of the new law are to abrogate some chapters and verses of the laws that are of no relevance in today's world and also the allocation of authorities during a dispute.
Mizoram IGP Lalbiakthanga Khiangte said Mizoram Police is ready to utilize the three criminal laws for investigations in the country. He also stressed the initiatives taken by the police in order to use the new laws, "Experts from NCRB trained Mizoram Police, and personnel holding a Constable rank and above are all well trained," he said.
The Inspector General of Police also said that under the new criminal law FIR can be filed online. 148 police personnel in 11 districts were trained and ready to deploy, he added.
DG NE Zone Satish Nambudiripad also said that amending the laws will provide better governance and safety to the people because some laws are outdated and need to be amended accordingly.
He said that the new laws represent a new direction for the criminal justice system of the country. The new laws also focus on simplifying legal procedures to make existing laws relevant to contemporary situations and to provide speedy justice to the common man, he added.
Press Information Bureau (PIB), Aizawl organised Vartalap, a Media Workshop on the three new Criminal Laws ‘Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita’ (BNS), ‘Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita’ (BNSS) and ‘Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam’ (BSA) of 2023 in Aizawl. These laws came into force on July 1, 2024.
In the technical session, Government Mizoram Law College Assistant Professor P. Lalremruati provided perspectives from the judiciary and praised the new laws for improving public access to online data and creating a more seamless experience for the general public.
The interactive session focused on the three new criminal laws and included questions from representatives from law colleges and media persons about the state’s readiness, including manpower to implement the amendments.
The ‘Vartalap’ was organised to sensitize the media in Aizawl about the ethos, spirit, and intent behind the three new criminal laws. During the workshop, the speakers explained the rationale for the introduction of these laws and highlighted some of the important departures from the Indian Penal Code, the Criminal Procedure Code and the Indian Evidence Act.
