On Tuesday, the Central Government presented updated criminal reform bills in the Lok Sabha, replacing the earlier versions that had been withdrawn.

Home Minister Amit Shah introduced 'The Bharatiya Nyaya (Second) Sanhita, 2023', 'The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha (Second) Sanhita, 2023', and 'The Bharatiya Sakshya (Second) Bill, 2023' in an effort to replace the Indian Penal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure, and the Indian Evidence Act.

These new bills, which incorporate recommendations from the Parliamentary Standing Committee, aim to bring about comprehensive reforms in these crucial aspects of the legal system.

The Home Minister highlighted that the majority of the alterations are of a grammatical nature. The deliberation on these bills is scheduled to occur on December 14.

In its recent report, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs proposed amendments to the suggested bills. One notable recommendation was the reintroduction of a provision to criminalize adultery.

This suggestion aimed to address the Supreme Court's 2018 ruling that struck down the previous provision. Additionally, the committee suggested retaining a provision similar to Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code to criminalize non-consensual homosexual acts.

The panel further recommended incorporating provisions within the new Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) bill to ensure the secure handling of digital evidence. Additionally, concerns were raised regarding the provision permitting police custody beyond 15 days post-arrest. As a suggestion, the panel proposed that the specifics of implementing online First Information Reports (FIRs) be left to the discretion of individual States.