The Bar Council of India (BCI) has commended the government for passing the three criminal bills: the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023; the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023; and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023.

In a press release dated 21.02.2024, the Bar Council said, “This legislative milestone marks a pivotal juncture in the evolution of India's criminal justice apparatus, heralding a paradigm shift towards a system characterized by affordability, accessibility, and citizen-centricity.”

BCI said the repeal and replacement of the Indian Penal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure, and the Indian Evidence Act signify a move towards transparency, technological assimilation, and forensic advancements to enhance investigations and conviction rates.

Further, recognizing the pivotal role of legal practitioners, the Bar Council pledged support through a structured roadmap for their training and upskilling. The roadmap outlined key focus areas, a blended learning approach, specialized training programs, and regional training centers to ensure accessibility and effectiveness.

The roadmap outlined by the Bar Council includes:

• Identify key focus areas: understanding provisions of new laws, procedural changes, technological advancements, and best legal practices.

• Develop a structured curriculum tailored to address training needs.

• Collaborate with legal experts, practitioners, judiciary members, and academicians for relevance and efficacy.

• Implement blended learning approach: online modules, webinars, workshops, interactive sessions.

• Utilize digital platforms for content delivery, fostering peer-to-peer learning.

• Organize specialized training programs focusing on evidence collection, trial advocacy, and case preparation.

• Conduct mock trials, case simulations for practical exposure and skill enhancement.

• Offer certification programs for continuous professional development.

• Establish regional training centers with State Bar Councils, Universities for accessibility.

• Conduct outreach programs, awareness campaigns in collaboration with local bar associations.

• Implement robust monitoring, evaluation framework for effectiveness assessment.

• Solicit participant feedback for improvement, update training modules as needed.

• Foster collaboration with NCRB, BPR&D, judicial authorities for alignment with criminal justice reform.

• Coordinate with State Level Steering Committees under Chief Secretary for vertical coordination.

• Encourage active participation and involvement of Bar Council members.

• Constitute Sub-Committees with diverse stakeholder representation for implementation and progress reporting to BCI.

The Bar Council also commended the "proactive efforts" of the National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) in aligning the Crime & Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS) and Interoperable Criminal Justice System (ICJS) frameworks with the new laws, providing valuable support through user-friendly applications.

Furthermore, the BCI acknowledged the Bureau of Police Research & Development (BPR&D) for its comprehensive training programs tailored to meet the needs of police personnel, prosecutors, and judicial officers. The BCI also praised the establishment of State Level Steering Committees under the Chief Secretaries for promoting harmonious collaboration among stakeholders.

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