Telangana has completed all preparations to enforce three new criminal laws : Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, scheduled to be effective from July 1, as per a statement from a senior official.
The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Bill, along with the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam Bills, was initially presented in the Lok Sabha on August 11 of the previous year. These bills were approved by Parliament on December 21 and received assent from President Droupadi Murmu on December 25.
According to notifications from the Union Home Ministry, the new laws will be enforced starting July 1. Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) is the new criminal law of India comprising 358 sections, replacing the 163-year-old Indian Penal Code with 511 sections. It aims to update the legal system by addressing issues like marital rape, organized crime, and cybercrime, and introducing community service as a form of punishment.
Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS) is designed to supplant the Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC), outlining procedures for arrest, prosecution, and bail. BNSS mandates forensic investigation for offenses punishable by seven years of imprisonment or more.
Notably, BNSS permits up to 15 days of police custody during the initial 40 or 60 days of the 60 or 90-day judicial custody period, potentially leading to the denial of bail for the entire duration if the police have not utilized the custody period and denying bail to individuals facing multiple charges.
Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) replaces the antiquated Indian Evidence Act, addressing digital age challenges by granting electronic records the same validity as traditional documents in legal proceedings.
