One Year of New Criminal Laws: Reform, Reality, and Road Ahead

Context

India undertook a landmark legal reform by replacing the colonial-era criminal laws — the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), and the Indian Evidence Act — with three new legislations:

• Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS)

• Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS)

• Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA)

These laws came into effect on July 1, 2024, with the objective of making the criminal justice system more citizen-centric, technology-driven, and efficient.

FIRs Filed Under New Laws

• From July 1, 2024 to June 25, 2025, a total of 35,18,544 FIRs were registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), as per the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

• In comparison, 35,61,279 FIRs were filed in 2022 and 36,63,630 FIRs in 2021 (NCRB data).

• The consistency in numbers indicates a smooth transition and operational continuity under the new legal regime.

Key Provisions in New Criminal Laws

• Complaints can now be filed from any location, including through online platforms

• Summons can be issued electronically via SMS

• Videography of crime scenes made mandatory in all heinous crimes

• Punishment for gang rape includes 20 years imprisonment, with death penalty if the victim is under 12

• Mob lynching is recognised as a specific criminal offence

• Trial in absentia permitted for fugitive criminals

• Obsolete offences such as homosexuality, adultery, attempt to suicide, and sedition have been repealed

• Section 152 of BNS replaces sedition law by criminalising attempts to incite secession, armed rebellion, or subversive acts

Capacity Building and Training

• Out of around 20 lakh police personnel, approximately 8.6 lakh have been trained on the new criminal laws

• Training modules focus on procedural reforms, digital evidence collection, and updated legal provisions

Strengthening Forensic Support

• 2,649 forensic experts have been recruited on a contractual basis

• An allocation of ₹215.66 crore has been made for modernising Forensic Science Laboratories (FSLs) in 24 States/UTs

Enhancing Digital Infrastructure

• Major focus on increasing the capacity for electronic evidence storage

• New digital tools are being adopted to ensure compliance with BNSS mandates

• Modernisation aims at faster and standardised handling of digital evidence

Digital and Institutional Ecosystem

Inter-operable Criminal Justice System (ICJS):

• An integrated digital platform connecting:

  • Police (CCTNS)

  • Courts (e-Courts)

  • Jails (e-Prisons)

  • Forensics (e-Forensics)

  • Prosecution (e-Prosecution)

Upgraded CCTNS Portal:

• Allows online FIR registration and real-time crime tracking

Nyay Setu Platform:

• A new digital interface to streamline coordination between police and other agencies

iGOT Karmayogi Portal:

• Offers targeted training to police officers, including SHOs, IOs, and computer operators

Use of QR Codes:

• Applied to track property and messenger details to ensure chain of custody

e-Sakshya App: A Game-Changer in Evidence Handling

• Developed by NIC in collaboration with MHA

• Enables recording of audio-video evidence with geo-coordinates and timestamps

• Features include:

  • Mandatory for serious offences under BNSS

  • Selfie requirement for IOs to prevent delegation

  • Ensures on-site forensic expert presence at crime scenes

Challenges in Implementation

• Courts currently do not have direct access to photos and videos stored on the National Government Cloud (NGC) via ICJS

• Despite digital access, IOs still need to submit evidence manually through pen drives

• Some police stations have only one tablet, insufficient for multiple IOs

• IOs often rely on personal smartphones, which may not meet technical requirements

• Each video is capped at 4 minutes, and faulty uploads cannot be deleted or managed under current FIR-linking features

Way Forward

• Need for structured feedback mechanisms from police departments and IOs to improve implementation

• Resolve legal challenges related to judicial access to digital evidence

• MedLEaPR system under pilot in Chhattisgarh will enable digital transmission of medico-legal and post-mortem reports via CCTNS

• Additional investment required in:

  • Expanding forensic infrastructure

  • Upgrading ICT systems

  • Deploying mobile FSL units at the district level