X: @vivekbhavsar
Mumbai: India’s criminal justice system has entered a new era with the implementation of three landmark legislations that replace the outdated colonial-era laws governing crime, criminal procedure, and evidence. In a significant move towards a more citizen-centric and technologically empowered legal framework, the Government of India brought into effect the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam from July 1, 2024.
Describing these reforms as “historic and transformative,” Additional Chief Secretary (Home), Maharashtra, Dr. I.S. Chahal told TheNews21 that these new laws have decisively dismantled colonial legal structures and reflect the values and challenges of a modern democratic India. He said the new framework moves away from punitive colonial control and embraces citizen empowerment, accountability, and timely justice.
The seriousness of the reforms was underscored on February 14, 2025, when Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Amit Shah, chaired a high-level review meeting in New Delhi on the implementation of these new criminal laws in Maharashtra. The meeting was attended by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and ACS Home Dr. Chahal. Shah emphasised that the Modi government is committed to providing a speedy and transparent justice system to the people. He directed the Maharashtra government to implement the new criminal laws in all commissionerates of the state at the earliest and to establish a model Directorate of Prosecution system in line with the updated legal framework.
The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which replaces the Indian Penal Code of 1860, introduces 358 restructured sections that offer sharper definitions for modern crimes and clearer classifications for easier understanding. Notably, the sedition law has been repealed and replaced with a broader provision addressing acts that threaten India’s sovereignty and integrity. For the first time, legal recognition has been given to offences such as mob lynching, organised crime, terrorism, and cyber fraud. The law also introduces community service as a reformative punishment for first-time minor offenders and incorporates stricter penalties for sexual offences, including those committed under false promises of marriage or employment. A new offence of snatching has also been codified separately from theft, addressing a long-standing legal ambiguity.
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The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, replacing the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, brings procedural reforms aimed at transparency, speed, and victim rights. Citizens can now file Zero FIRs at any police station irrespective of jurisdiction. FIRs can be filed electronically, and digital summons and video-recorded victim statements have been mandated, especially in cases of sexual offences. Forensic involvement is now compulsory in all heinous crimes, while remand rules have been streamlined to avoid misuse and excessive pre-trial detention. Arrests of elderly and infirm persons in minor offences now require Deputy Superintendent-level approval, reflecting a more humane approach to law enforcement. The law also places greater emphasis on protecting the rights of undertrial prisoners and mandates timely filing of charge sheets.
The Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, replacing the Indian Evidence Act of 1872, embraces digital transformation by allowing electronic records, social media content, emails, CCTV footage, and audio files as primary admissible evidence. It simplifies the process of submitting secondary evidence, legalises witness testimony through video conferencing, and introduces safeguards against deepfakes and manipulated digital content. This law is particularly significant in a time when digital manipulation has emerged as a threat to fair trials.
Dr. Chahal emphasised that these new laws reflect not just legal modernity, but moral clarity and constitutional maturity. He said that the reforms are built on the pillars of accessibility, efficiency, and technological advancement, with an aim to deliver justice rather than merely enforce law. He noted that these reforms also enhance the dignity of victims, particularly women and children, by ensuring fair treatment and due process in sensitive cases.
Calling these reforms a watershed moment in India’s legal history, Dr. Chahal urged the law enforcement machinery, judiciary, and civil society to familiarise themselves with the new statutes and work collectively to ensure their effective implementation. He acknowledged that the challenge lies ahead in training, infrastructure readiness, and public awareness, but asserted that the legal foundation for a just and modern India has now been firmly laid.
With these laws now in force, India has taken a bold and irreversible step towards a justice system that is more aligned with its democratic values, constitutional ethos, and technological realities. For the first time in independent India’s history, the legal architecture is not just being amended—it is being reimagined to serve the people with speed, transparency, and integrity.
