Bar Council Of India Appreciates Central Govt For Criminal Law Bills

The Bar Council of India has appreciated the Government of India's initiatives for the three criminal law Bills which seek to revamp the criminal justice system of the country.

In a press release on February 21, the Council called the Parliament's move of passing the three seminal Bills: the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023; the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023; and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023 as "historic".

The Council said that with the assent of the President of India, these Bills were now ascended to the realm of law, ushering in a new era by superseding antiquated legislations hailing from the annals of the 19th century.

The Council said that this legislative milestone marked a pivotal juncture in the evolution of India's criminal justice apparatus and heralded a paradigm shift towards a system characterised by affordability, accessibility, and citizen-centricity. 

It was also stated that, "Through the repeal and replacement of entrenched colonian statutes such as the Indian Penal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure, and the Indian Evidence Act, the government of Shri Narendra Modiji, has laid down the bedrock for transparency, technological assimilation, and forensic advancements aimed at augmenting the efficacy of investigations and bolstering conviction rates."

The Council also acknowledged the indispensable role of legal practitioners in operationalising the three seminal laws. It pledged unwavering support through the formulation of a time-bound roadmap for the training and upskilling of the members of the Legal Fraternity.

The press release also mentioned that, "Emphasising the imperative of collaborative engagement with stakeholders, the Council underscores the imperative of seamlessly integrating legal acumen into the evolving panorama of the criminal justice architecture."

The Council also said that it hoped that all developing countries may adopt these laws and repeal the old colonial legislations.