India, July 28 -- The Government of India has issued a release:
The new Sanhitas mark a significant step towards creating a citizen centric, more accessible and efficient justice system. The main provisions made in the new Sanhitas that focus on justice rather than punishment are given in the Annexure.
In the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, stringent punishment up to death sentence has been provided for the offence of rape of a minor. The offence of gang rape on a minor is punishable with imprisonment for life or death.
Details of the main provisions in the New Sanhitas that focus on Justice rather than punishment:
(A) Victim Centric Provisions
(B) Timelines
petitions (30 days before Governor and 60 days before President) - have been streamlined and to be completed within stipulated time period.
(C) Reformative Approach
i. Community service: The new laws introduce community service for minor offences. The offenders get the chance to positively contribute to society, learn from their mistakes and build stronger community bonds.
ii. Expansion of the ambit of summary trial: The ambit of summary trial has now been expanded to include more offences ensuring expeditious disposal of cases.
(D) Rights of the Accused
Arbitrary arrest of individuals solely to initiate judicial proceedings has been curtailed. The police, now, need not arrest an accused person just for the Magistrate to take cognizance of the police report and no arrest is needed for taking handwriting, signature, fingerprint, or voice samples.
(E) Trial in absentia
A new provision of trial in absentia for persons declared as proclaimed offenders allows the Court to proceed with the trial and pronounce the verdict in the absence of the accused. This provision ensures that justice is neither delayed nor denied.
This was stated by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs Shri Bandi Sanjay Kumar in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha.
Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.
