NEW DELHI: The Parliamentary Standing Committee studying the three bills that would replace the existing criminal laws submitted its report to Rajya Sabha chairman and Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankar on Friday. The standing committee chairman Brij Pal personally delivered the three reports to Dhankar in Parliament.
The existing criminal laws — Indian Penal Code (IPC), Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) and Evidence Act — are slated to be replaced with introduction of three news bills, namely Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, and Bharatiya Sakshya Bills.
Home minister Amit Shah introduced these new bills in the Lok Sabha in August. Shah had earlier urged the Speaker to refer these legislative measures to the standing committee for a comprehensive examination, emphasising that the existing laws, rooted in the colonial legacy of the British Raj, primarily focused on punishment, while the proposed laws prioritise justice.
Under the Rajya Sabha secretariat, the standing committee on Home was assigned to examine these bills in three months. Recently, the parliamentary panel endorsed three reports, incorporating numerous amendments while retaining the bills’ Hindi names. However, approximately 10 opposition members submitted dissent notes during this process.
The committee’s recommendations include advocating for a more stringent approach towards deaths caused by negligence, addressing criticism that the current statute is overly lenient. Furthermore, the panel suggested a reduction in sentences for individuals convicted of obstructing public servants from performing their duties. For instance, IPC Section 353, which currently allows for a maximum two-year prison term, may be revisited with a proposed reduction to one year.
Adultery law
Reports indicate that the panel has endorsed a gender-neutral adultery law and proposed punitive measures for non-consensual acts between men, women, and transgenders