
In recent news, the government introduced three new bills to revamp the old IPC, CRPC & IEA
- Arjun Kumar
- September 9, 2023
- 5:26 pm
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Salient features of the Bills, as stated by Home Minister, Shri Amit Shah:
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- Separate provision for Mob Lynching, punishable with 7 years or life imprisonment or death penalty;
- Formal provision for ‘Zero FIR’- this will enable citizens to lodge an FIR with any police station, no matter their jurisdiction;
- Zero FIR must be sent over to the concerned Police Station having jurisdiction in the alleged crime within 15 days after registration;
- ‘Deemed Sanction’ to prosecute civil servants, and police officers accused of criminal offences in case of authority’s failure to respond within 120 days of application;
- Digitization of complete process starting from registration of FIR to maintenance of Case Diary to filing of Charge sheet and delivery of Judgment;
- Complete trial, including Cross-examination, to be facilitated via Video conferencing;
- Videography while recording statements of victims of sexual crimes mandatory;
- Punishment for all types of Gang Rape- 20 yrs. or life imprisonment;
- Punishment for Rape of minor- death penalty;
- Charge sheet to be mandatorily filed within 90 days of FIR; Court may extend such time by further 90 days, taking the total maximum period for winding up investigation to 180 days;
- Courts to finish framing of charges within 60 days of receiving charge sheet;
- Judgment to be mandatorily delivered within 30 days after the conclusion of hearing;
- Judgment to be mandatorily made available online within 7 days of pronouncement;
- Videography mandatory during Search & Seizure;
- Forensic Teams to mandatorily visit crime scenes for offences involving punishment of more than 7 years;
- Deployment of Mobile FSLs at the district level;
- No case punishable with 7 years or more shall be withdrawn without providing an opportunity of hearing to the victim;
- Scope of Summary Trials expanded to offences punishable upto 3 years (will reduce 40% cases in Sessions courts);
- Separate, harsh punishment for organized crimes;
- Separate provisions penalizing rape of women under false pretext of marriage, job, etc.;
- Separate provision for ‘Chain Snatching’ and similar miscreant activities;
- Punishment of death penalty can at max be commuted to life term, punishment of life term may at max be commuted to 7 years imprisonment and punishment of 7 years may be commuted to 3 years imprisonment and no less;
- Videography of vehicles seized for involvement in any offence mandatory, whereafter a certified copy will be submitted to the Court to enable disposal of seized vehicle during pendency of trial.