Govt Has Initiated Process To Amend IPC, CrPC & Indian Evidence Act Comprehensively: Centre Informs Rajya Sabha

The Ministry of Law & Justice has informed the Rajya Sabha that it has initiated the process for comprehensive amendments to criminal laws: Indian Penal Code 1860, the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, and the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 in consultation with all stakeholders.

The process is being undertaken with a view to make comprehensive changes in the criminal laws of the country to provide affordable and speedy justice to all, and create a people-centric legal structure, the Ministry said.

This piece of information was provided by the Union Law Minister, Kiren Rijijju in response to an array of questions put up by MP Binoy Viswam regarding the Criminal Law Reforms Committee.

The Ministry also informed the Rajya Sabha that the Criminal Law Reforms Committee, constituted in March 2020, under the Chairpersonship of the Vice-Chancellor, National Law University, Delhi, and four other Members, has submitted its report to the Government in February 2022.

As per the response of the Ministry, the Committee had invited suggestions through a questionnaire based on secondary research and inputs from experts uploaded on its website which received responses from various organizations, research centers, academics, lawyers, and civil societies from across the country.

The Centre has also informed the Upper House that the Department–related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs, in its 146th Report, had recommended that there is a need for a comprehensive review of the Criminal Justice System of the country.

Earlier, the Parliamentary Standing Committee, in its 111th and 128th Reports, had also stressed upon the need to reform and rationalize the criminal law of the country by introducing comprehensive legislation in Parliament rather than bringing about piecemeal amendments in respective Acts.

Significantly, the Ministry of Home Affairs has also sought suggestions from Governors, Chief Ministers of States, Lieutenant Governors (LGs) and Administrators of Union territories, Hon'ble Chief Justice of India, Hon'ble Chief Justices of various High Courts, Bar Council of India, Bar Council of various States, various Universities/ Law Institutes and all Members of Parliament regarding comprehensive amendments in criminal laws.

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