Today in Politics: New Criminal Laws come into effect, Parliament continues

The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and Bharatiya Sakshya Act (BSA) — India’s three new criminal laws — will come into effect on Monday.

In December 2023, amidst rows of empty benches following the suspension of 97 Opposition members, Parliament passed the three laws that are to replace the British-era Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure and the Indian Evidence Act, respectively.

Piloting the Bills, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had said these are aimed at indigenising laws originally enacted by the British.

According to the government, three specific provisions that have been symbols of colonial imprint in the IPC – sedition, criminalisation of homosexuality and adultery – had been repealed.

The fine print, however, shows that the offence of sedition, currently rendered inoperable by a Supreme Court order, has had a name change from ‘rajdroh’ to ‘deshdroh’.

Expanding detention in police custody from the current 15-day limit to up to 90 days, bringing terror, corruption and organised crime under ordinary legislation for the first time to decriminalising homosexuality and adultery are some other key features of the laws.

Opposing the Bills, AIMIM’s Asaduddin Owaisi had said, “These three criminal Bills are themselves felonious. Instead of preventing crimes, they are an attempt to give legal cover to the government’s crimes… The reality is that there is no greater punishment for the poor, the Dalits and Muslims in this country than their very lives.”

Owaisi also spoke about extended police custody and stringent bail conditions in the Bills apart from the offence of sedition being reframed.

Parliament Session Continues

As per the list of business, the Lok Sabha will consider any