PIB Kohima organises workshop on three new criminal laws

KOHIMA — The Press Information Bureau (PIB), Kohima, under the ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) on Saturday conducted a one day media workshop (Vartalap) on three new criminal laws at Hotel Ura in Kohima.

The three new criminal laws are Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) 2023, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) 2023 and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) 2023. The new three laws will be the Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure and the Indian Evidence Act respectively.

Addressing the event as special guest, Oken Jeet Sandham, editor of NEPS, expressed reservation about the new criminal laws in the backdrop of Article 371 (A) of the Indian constitution, which gave special status to the state of Nagaland. He pointed out the unresolved Naga political issue and highlighted the origin of Article 371 (A) and stated that criminal law is different from civil code, which has to do with law and order.

He further highlighted complexities of the law such as Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), sedition laws that contravene the rights of the people and press.

Towards this end, he emphasised on the importance for an early resolution to the Naga political issue.

Resource person and DIG (Range), Uniel Kichu, highlighted that criminal system was based on Indian Penal Code (IPC) of 1860, Criminal Procedure Code 1973 and others. Stating that several amendments were passed in the past, he stated that the three new criminal laws were passed by the Parliament just last year.

He explained that Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) 2023 meant Indian justice code; Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) 2023 meant Indian citizen security or safety code and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) 2023 meant Indian evidence code.

Kichu asserted the importance of the new code by expounding the evolving changing times from the erstwhile times adding that science and technology has evolved a lot. He maintained that systematic, simple, transparent, fair and just laws are basically the primary foundation that the new law envisioned.

The police officer stated that 75% of prisoners are under trial because of the delay in the justice system besides other issues, which the new laws have become vital. He further highlighted the various reforms that are under the purview of the new laws that would come into force from July 1, 2024.

Delivering the opening remarks, K Sonikumar Singh, assistant director PIB Kohima, maintained the new law envisaged to deliver justice in time bound manner and e-FIR thereby replaced the old British laws. He clarified that the terms were not Hindi words but derived from the oldest language Sanskrit words.

The event was attended by media officials, students from Kohima Law College and students of journalism and mass communication.

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