New criminal laws to come into effect from July 1

The Central Government has announced that three new criminal laws will replace the British-era Indian Penal Code (IPC), Indian Evidence Act, and Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), effective from July 1. These new laws, known as the Indian Justice Code, the Indian Civil Defense Code, and the Indian Evidence Act, aim to enhance the country's legal framework.

The announcement came after the President, Draupadi Murmu, approved all three new criminal law bills that were passed during the winter session of Parliament. The new laws are set to replace the Indian Evidence Act of 1872, the Criminal Procedure Code of 1973, and the IPC, streamlining and modernizing the legal system.

The new laws will bring about significant changes, including making punishments more stringent for crimes such as terrorism, mob lynching, and offenses that pose a threat to national security. Notably, the Indian Judicial Code will include 20 new crimes, while 19 provisions from the IPC will be removed. Additionally, prison sentences will be increased for 33 crimes, fines will see an uptick in 83 provisions, and 23 crimes will have provisions for mandatory minimum punishments. Moreover, the concept of 'community service' punishment will be introduced in six crimes, marking a shift towards more comprehensive legal enforcement.