Govt brings in 3 new bills to revamp criminal justice system. What you need to know

The government on Friday introduced three key bills in the Lok Sabha aiming to replace criminal laws created in the colonial-era.

Introducing the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and the Bharatiya Sakshya to replace the IPC, CrPC and the Indian Evidence Act respectively, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said these will bring about a major change in the criminal justice system in the country.

Criminal bills should be for Indians, by Indians, Shah said. All the three bills have been referred to a parliamentary panel for review.

"The focus of those laws was to protect and strengthen the British administration, the idea was to punish and not to give justice. By replacing them, the new three laws will bring the spirit to protect the rights of the Indian citizen," Shah said in the lower House.

What did Shah say

1. The highlights of Shah's speech was the mention of stringent punishment for mob lynching and rape of minors. Shah said the Centre will introduce a provision of capital punishment for mob lynching cases, up to 20 years imprisonment to life term for gang-rape and death penalty for rape of a minor. The new bill prioritises laws for crimes against women and children, murders and offences against the state, he said

2. The conviction rate will be above 90 per cent. “For any crime which has imprisonments above seven years, forensic teams should be there at the scene which will decrease the chance of a criminal getting acquitted,” Shah said.

3. Sedition law 'has been repealed', the Union Home Minister said. It is replaced by Section 150 for acts endangering sovereignty, unity and integrity of India through “words, either spoken or written, or by signs, or by visible representation, or by electronic communication or by use of financial means” Any such act shall be punished with imprisonment for life or with imprisonment which may extend to seven years, the proposed law says, NDTV reported.

4. Video recording of statements in rape cases have been made compulsory

5. Community services have been introduced as a punishment for petty offences.