India's criminal justice system will be most modern in five years, says Home Minister Shah

Union home minister Amit Shah on Tuesday said that India's criminal justice system will be the most modern system in the world in five years. He was addressing the 5th International and 44th All India Criminology Conference of the National Forensic Science University (NFSU) in Gandhinagar.

Stating that India's criminal justice system is entering a new era, Shah said India has abolished the 150-year-old laws of criminal justice and introduced new laws. He said the Criminology Conference entails two of the major issues incorporated in these three laws: firstly, to deliver timely justice, and secondly, to curb crimes by increasing the conviction rate. He said in all three laws, efforts were being made to take both these issues forward with the help of technology.

Amit Shah said that for the first time, the basic Indian concept of justice has been given place in the three new laws - the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam. Claiming that the purpose of the old laws was to protect the British rule, he said the three new laws have been made with a pan-Indian vision. He added that now after the introduction of these new laws decisions on FIRs will be ensured in three years. Shah said that these laws have not been brought in isolation as whatever needs to be done in the next five years has been visualised before bringing them. He said that all three new criminal laws would be implemented within five years.


The home minister said it has been made mandatory for a Forensic Science Officer to visit the crime scene where the punishment entails seven years or more. "This will also help increase the conviction rate," Shah said.