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India is on the cusp of a major legal overhaul with the impending implementation of three new criminal laws on July 1st. The Indian Penal Code, 1860, the Indian Evidence Act, 1872, and the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 will be replaced by the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023, and the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023. To prepare for this monumental shift, police departments across the country have been engaged in training sessions for their officers.
Assistant sub-inspector Sharafat Ali from Noida shared his experience of attending a day-long training session to understand the intricacies of the new laws. He mentioned going through the new forms and discussing common case scenarios like snatching, rape, and dowry deaths under the new laws. However, some officers, like Renu Kumar from Noida Phase 2 police station, were yet to undergo any training just days before the implementation date.
The transition to the new legal system is expected to be challenging, with officers needing time to become familiar with the new laws. Many officers expressed concerns about issues such as the recording of audio-video evidence through electronic means, especially on mobile phones. The lack of clarity on retrospective application of the laws has also left many officers confused.
Despite the challenges, the police are gearing up to juggle between the old and new systems of law, with hopes that any ambiguities in the new provisions will be resolved with time. The story reflects the Herculean task ahead for law enforcement agencies as they prepare to enforce the new criminal laws from July 1st.
