Justice will be priority not punishment: Prez Murmu on new criminal laws

New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday said the three new criminal laws, which are slated to come into force from July 1, will provide justice rather than punishment, which was the mindset during the British regime.

Addressing the first joint sitting of Parliament after the constitution of the 18th Lok Sabha, she said the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita 2023 and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam 2023 will speed up the judicial process.

These laws, enacted last year, are set to replace the British-era Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure and the Indian Evidence Act respectively.

"The Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita will come into force in the country from the 1st of July. During the British regime, there was the mindset to punish the subjects.

Unfortunately, the same penal system of the colonial era continued for many decades after Independence," she said.

The president said the idea of changing criminal laws was much talked about for many decades, but it is this government which has shown the courage to do it.

"Now justice will get priority over punishment, which also conforms to the spirit of our Constitution," she said.

When the country is becoming free of the colonial mindset in different aspects, this is a big step in that direction, she said. "It is also a real tribute to our freedom fighters." Union Home Minister Amit Shah had said in Parliament last year that the new laws will give priority to providing justice in place of the outgoing British laws that gave primacy to penal action.

"These three Bills are made by Indians, for Indians and by an Indian Parliament and marks the end of colonial criminal justice laws in India," he had said.

Shah said the laws were not just about changing the nomenclature but would bring about a complete overhaul of the prevailing laws.

He said "soul, body and spirit" of the new laws is Indian.

The home minister had said justice is an umbrella term that encompasses both the victim and the culprit and these new laws will ensure political, economic and social justice with an Indian ethos.

Zero FIR, registration of police complaints online, summons through electronic modes and mandatory videography of crime scenes of all heinous crimes are the key highlights of the three new criminal laws.

The Union home ministry is gearing up to roll out the three new criminal laws from next week with 40 lakh grassroots functionaries trained to ensure people are aware about the legislations and the impact these will have on everyone, particularly women and children, official sources said Wednesday.

Over 5.65 lakh police, prison, forensics, judicial and prosecution officials have also been trained about the new laws.