New Criminal Laws: India will experience a significant shift starting on July 1. Actually, as of July 1, India will have three new criminal laws. It is important to note that the three British-made criminal laws will expire on July 1. The Indian Justice Code, Indian Civil Defense Code, and Indian Evidence Act are the three new criminal statutes that will take their place. It is known that in December 2023,
Introduction of New Criminal Laws by Home Minister Amit Shah
Home Minister Amit Shah presented these three new laws to the House. After then, on July 1, 2024, this law will come into effect. The Indian Evidence Act, Code of Criminal Procedure, and Indian Penal Code from the British era will all be superseded by the new law, which is the most significant change.
It is important to remember that three new criminal laws will take effect on July 1. Allow us to explain the main features of these new legislation as well as how the general public would profit from them.
Elimination of Physical Visit Requirement for Reporting
The new laws eliminate the requirement for a person to physically visit the police station in order to report an event via electronic communication. According to sources, this facilitates quicker and easier reporting, enabling the police to respond right away.
The focus of the new law will be on forensic investigation at the crime site. That is to say, technology will be used in the investigation if an event happens somewhere. This will make rescuing the accused exceedingly challenging. It is noteworthy that a dearth of proof frequently allows criminals to escape punishment.
Introduction of Zero FIR Requirement
Once these laws take effect, it will be required to file a zero FIR. Everything from the filing of the FIR to the court ruling would be done online following the amendments to these three laws. If a person is sentenced to more than seven years in jail, forensic investigation will be necessary. The investigation report must be submitted within seven days in the event of a crime.
Let us inform you that the new law stipulates that gang rape convictions carry a sentence of 20 years in jail or life in prison. There is a provision for the death sentence or life in prison if the victim is a juvenile. If children are involved in the crime, a minimum term of seven to ten years will be imposed.