The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Bill, 2023, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita Bill, 2023, and Bharatiya Sakhshya Bill, 2023 have been referred to the Standing Committee on Home Affairs. The Committee has three months to carry out consultations and submit its report on the three Bills, which seek to replace the Indian Penal Code, 1860, the Criminal Procedure Code, 1898, and the Indian Evidence Act, 1872.
The Standing Committee on Home Affairs is headed by BJP Rajya Sabha MP Brijlal. The three Bills were introduced in the Lok Sabha on August 11 by Home Minister Amit Shah.
The government argued that these Bills are aimed at decolonising the Indian justice system. All the three laws that are being repealed, the government noted, were framed by the British and enacted by the British Parliament.
“These three Acts which will be replaced were made to strengthen and protect the British rule and their purpose was to punish, not to give justice. We are going to bring changes in both these fundamental aspects,” Mr. Shah said while introducing the Bills in the Lok Sabha.
The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita Bill, which will replace the CrPC, will now have 533 sections; 160 sections have been changed, nine new sections have been added, and nine sections have been repealed. The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Bill, which will replace the IPC, will have 356 sections instead of the earlier 511 sections; 175 sections have been amended, eight new sections have been added, and 22 sections have been repealed. The Bharatiya Sakhshya Bill, which will replace the Evidence Act, will now have 170 sections instead of the earlier 167; 23 sections have been changed, one new section has been added, and five repealed.
