The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) replaced the colonial-era Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure and the Indian Evidence Act, respectively.
As the three new criminal laws rolled out on Monday, bringing far-reaching changes in India's criminal justice system, Home Minister Amit Shah said the criminal justice system is now completely 'swadeshi' after 77 years of Independence and embedded in Indian ethos'.
The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) replaced the colonial-era Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure and the Indian Evidence Act, respectively.
With these three laws coming into effect July 1, Indian Penal Code (IPC), has been replaced with the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) has been replaced with Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and the Indian Evidence Act has been replaced with Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam.
Amit Shah said, "justice will replace punishment, speedy trial and speedy justice will be provided in place of delay".
Earlier only the rights of the police were protected, now the rights of the victims and complainants will be protected, Amit Shah said.
Amit Shah said the priority of sections and chapters has been decided in line with the spirit of our Constitution. "The first priority has been given to (the chapters on) crimes against women and children," he said.
"I believe that this was needed to be done much earlier. An entire chapter with 35 sections and 13 provisions has been added".
"Now, gangrape will attract 20-year imprisonment or life imprisonment, rape of a minor will attract death penalty, a separate crime has been defined for sexual exploitation by hiding one's identity or making false promises."
"A provision has been made to record statement of the victim at her home in the presence of women officers and her own family."
"The facility of online FIR has been provided too; we believe that a lot of women can be saved from embarrassment this way."
while reports said the first FIR under new criminal code BNS was filed by Delhi Police against a street vendor selling water and tobacco products from a cart that allegedly obstructed a public way in central Delhi's Kamala Market area on Monday, Home Minister Amit Shah clarified that the first case under new laws was about motorcycle theft registered in Gwalior at 10 minutes past midnight.
The case registered in Delhi was one of the first cases registered under the new laws, Amit Shah said.
"...The first case [under the new laws] has been registered at a Police station in Gwalior. It was a case of theft, someone's motorcycle was stolen. The case was registered at 12.10 am...As far as the case against a vendor [registered at a Police Station in Delhi] is concerned, there were provisions for the same earlier too and it is not a new provision. Police used the provision to review it and dismissed that case," Amit Shah said.