New criminal laws will protect rights of people, says Mizoram Home Minister

Aizawl: Mizoram home minister K. Sapdanga on Monday said that the newly introduced criminal laws marked the beginning of a new process and significant chapter in the country's legal system.

Addressing a function at central Mizoram’s Serchhip town to mark the introduction of three new criminal laws — Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA), that came into force across the country on Monday, Sapdanga said that these changes are crucial in the ongoing fight against crime, benefiting both Mizoram and the entire nation.

He pointed out that the old laws, some of which were over a century old and enacted by the British, are now being replaced to suit contemporary times and technologies.

“The new criminal laws will strongly protect the rights of the people. It will empower the law enforcement agencies and increase their role. It will be rigid in some cases as well as lenient at the same time. They are outstanding laws to mitigate and fight several crimes in the country,” the home minister said.

He said that the new criminal laws will replace the colonial era- Indian Penal Code (IPC), Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) and the Indian Evidence Act.

They introduce several progressive provisions aimed at enhancing efficiency and fairness in the legal process, he said.

The BNS replaced the IPC 1860, the BNSS replaced the CrPC 1973 and the BSA replaced the Indian Evidence Act, 1872.

In the new laws, sedition is replaced with treason and provisions like Zero FIR, online registration of police complaints, community service as punishment, electronic summonses and mandatory videography of crime scenes for all heinous crimes have been brought.

The new laws mandate judgments in criminal cases within 45 days of trial completion and framing charges within 60 days of the first hearing.

The new criminal laws were enacted by the parliament in December last year.

The Mizoram government had taken a series of initiatives, including training of police personnel, churches, NGOs and advocates and carrying out public awareness to ensure the smooth implementation of three new criminal laws.