New criminal laws provide justice, not punishment: Minister of State for Law Arjun Ram Meghwal

The three new criminal laws which came into force on July 1 will deliver justice unlike the colonial era laws which were focused on punishment, Union Minister of State for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal recently said. .The Minister was speaking about the three new criminal laws - the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam - which have now replaced the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) and the Indian Evidence Act. “The new criminal laws are for providing 'justice' in contrast to colonial legislations where the focus was on 'punishment',” the Minister highlighted. The Minister emphasized that the formulation of these laws involved extensive consultations with stakeholders, including MPs, and MLAs across party lines, including common citizens, and incorporated recommendations from the Law Commission of India," a press release issued by the Press Information Bureau stated..The Minister was speaking at a conference hosted by the Ministry of Law and Justice on 'India's Progressive Path in the Administration of Criminal Justice System' held on June 30, the day before the new criminal laws came into force. The day-long conference saw many dignitaries taking to the dais to speak about the new legislation. .Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court, Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya, highlighted the critical role that will be played by those responsible for implementing the laws.He urged members of the justice delivery system to maintain a sense of responsibility.Rajasthan High Court Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava said that various elements of the new laws are progressive and have the potential to redefine India's legal landscape.Acting Chief Justice of the High Court of Punjab and Haryana, Justice Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia, focused on the importance of updating criminal laws to keep up with changing times. Former Bombay High Court judge and President of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT), Justice Chandrakant Vasant Bhadang, and Secretary of the Department of Legal Affairs of the Law Ministry, Dr. Rajiv Mani also spoke at the event. Following the inaugural session, the conference featured three technical sessions, each dedicated to one of the three laws. Bombay High Court judges Justices Revati Mohit Dere, AS Gadkari and Bharati Dhangre chaired the three sessions. .In his valedictory speech, Maharashtra Governor Ramesh Bais said that the new laws have clear guidelines and enhanced accountability measures which will improve transparency in law enforcement.