Bhopal, Nov. 9 -- Technology forms the bedrock of the new criminal laws, which aim to ensure a faster and more efficient justice delivery system by addressing the long-standing issue of delays, Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan said here on Sunday.
Mohan said that the new criminal laws aim at decolonising India's criminal justice system and making it more victim-centric and technology-enabled.
He said the new laws introduced several provisions designed to minimise delays in investigation, trial, and other procedural stages.
"Technology forms the bedrock of the new criminal laws, which aim to ensure a faster and more efficient justice delivery system by addressing the long-standing issue of delays," he said at the two-day national conference on three new criminal laws held at the National Judicial Academy here.
The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam replaced the colonial era Indian Penal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure and the Indian Evidence Act of 1872, respectively. The new laws came into effect on July 1, 2024.
The Home secretary said the e-committee of the Supreme Court has played a pivotal role in driving the technological integration necessary for the effective implementation of the new laws.
These include e-Sakshya (electronic evidence), e-Summon (digital issuance and delivery of legal notices), community service (as an alternative sentencing mechanism), and Nyay Shruti (audio-visual systems for accessible justice delivery).
He said under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Centre is building a secure, transparent, and evidence-based criminal justice system. Mohan said under the guidance of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the country has ushered in a new era of speedy justice.
The Home secretary said technology forms the bedrock of the new criminal laws, which aim to ensure a faster and more efficient justice delivery system by addressing the long-standing issue of delays.
The new laws introduce several provisions designed to minimise delays in investigation, trial, and other procedural stages. Mohan said that going forward, the focus must now shift to sustained adoption, continuous improvement, and institutionalisation of the reforms introduced under the three new criminal laws.
He said the state government should establish dedicated monitoring mechanisms to assess the progress of implementation, identify operational bottlenecks, and ensure timely updates of rules, notifications, and SOPs in alignment with evolving judicial and technological needs.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.