On December 3, 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the successful implementation of three new criminal laws in Chandigarh, making it the first administrative unit in India to fully adopt the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam. These laws, which replaced the British-era Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure, and Indian Evidence Act, are designed to modernize the criminal justice system and ensure timely justice.

BulletsIn

• Chandigarh is the first city to implement three new criminal laws in India.
• The new laws include the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam.
• These laws replaced the colonial-era Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure, and Indian Evidence Act.
• PM Modi hailed these laws as a step toward fulfilling constitutional ideals for the benefit of citizens.
• The new laws aim to protect citizens’ rights and ensure the timely delivery of justice.
• PM Modi declared that “tarikh pe tarikh” (delays in justice) days are now over.
• The laws are designed to prevent terrorists and terror organizations from exploiting legal complexities.
• Modi emphasized that these laws mark the end of colonial-era laws used for exploitation.
• Home Minister Amit Shah stated that justice would now be delivered within three years of an FIR being filed.
• The government aims to make India’s criminal justice system the most modern in the world.