new laws: The country's three new criminal laws, brought to replace the IPC, CrPC and the Evidence Act, will come into force from July 1, 2024. The new laws 'Indian Civil Defense Code', 'Indian Judicial Code' and 'Indian Evidence Act' will come into force from July 1, 2024. The Home Ministry has issued an order in this regard. IPC will be replaced by BNS.
Three laws made during the British era have now expired. President Draupadi Murmu on Monday (December 25) gave his assent to three amended criminal law bills passed in the winter session of Parliament. After this, the Indian Justice Code, Indian Civil Protection Code and Indian Evidence Code Bills became law. Now these laws will come into effect in the country from July 1, 2024.
Indian Penal Code (IPC) now Indian Justice (II) Code, Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) now Indian Civil Defense (II) Code and Indian Evidence Act now Indian Evidence (II) Code.
However, no new clause will now apply. Section 106(2) of BNS – Providing for 10 years' imprisonment for causing death by rash or negligent driving and fleeing without informing the police/magistrate, this section will not be adequately enforced at present.
These three bills were first introduced during the monsoon session of Parliament in August 2023. After this, during the winter session of Parliament, these bills were passed in the Lok Sabha on 20 December and in the Rajya Sabha on 21 December. After the bills were introduced in the Rajya Sabha by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, they were passed by voice vote. The revised versions were tabled in the winter session after the Standing Committee on House Affairs made several recommendations. Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that the draft of this bill has been prepared after extensive deliberations.
what changed?
IPC: Which act is a crime and what is its punishment? This is decided under IPC. It will now be called the Indian Judicial Code. IPC had 511 sections, while BNS will have 358 sections. 21 new crimes have been added. The imprisonment period has been increased in 41 crimes. The penalty has been increased in 82 crimes. There is a provision for mandatory minimum punishment in 25 crimes. 6 Crimes will be punished with social service. Therefore 19 sections have been removed.
CrPC: The procedures for arrest, investigation and prosecution are prescribed in CrPC. There were 484 sections in CrPC. Now there will be 531 sections in the Indian Civil Defense Code. 177 sections have been substituted. 9 new sections have been added and 14 have been removed.
Indian Evidence Act: How the facts of the case will be proved, how statements will be recorded, all this is in the Indian Evidence Act. In which earlier there were 167 sections. There will be 170 sections in the Indian Evidence Code. 24 sections were changed. Two new sections have been added, while 6 sections have been removed.
Sedition has now been replaced by treason
The IPC included section 124A, which provided for imprisonment ranging from three years to life for the offense of treason. BNS (Indian Penal Code) has replaced sedition with 'treason'. Home Minister Amit Shah said that no one can speak against the country and harm its interests. Those accused of treason should be given strict punishment.
There is a provision related to 'treason' in Article 150 of BNS. Article 150 includes it as 'an act threatening the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India'. The BNS provides for punishment ranging from 7 years to life imprisonment for those found guilty. Besides this, fine will also be imposed.