India, Dec. 3 -- The Government of India has issued a release:
In the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, for the first time, the provisions relating to crime against woman and child have been given precedence and placed under one Chapter. Strict punishments up to death sentence have been provided for the offences against women. Punishmentfor gang rape of a woman below the age of 18 years is life imprisonment till remainder of the convict's natural life or death. A new offence for having sexual intercourse on false promise of marriage, employment, promotion or by concealing identity, etc. has also been incorporated in BNS. Main provisions related protection of woman in the new Criminal Laws are given in the Annexure.
MAIN FEATURES OF THE NEW CRIMINAL LAWS
The new criminal laws mark a significant step towards creating a citizen centric, more accessible and efficient justice system. The following are main features of the new criminal laws:
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.
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 Rajya Sabha.
Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.
