The Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated on Friday that new bills to replace the IPC, CrPC, and the Evidence Act will be introduced in Parliament soon. He emphasized that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has adopted a strong stance against terrorism with zero tolerance.

"We must progress beyond a mere zero-tolerance policy against terrorism and transition towards a zero-tolerance strategy and zero-tolerance action," Amit Shah stated during his speech, which took place after he observed the passing out parade of the 75th (Regular Recruits) batch of Indian Police Service (IPS) probationers at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy (SVPNPA) here.

Amit Shah mentioned that India is in the process of abolishing laws that were established during British colonial rule, ushering in a new era marked by renewed confidence and fresh aspirations.

"The three laws, which date back to the British era around 1850 and have been the cornerstone of our criminal justice system – the CrPC, IPC, and Evidence Act – have undergone significant revisions by the government. They have introduced three new laws in the country's Parliament," he stated.

Amit Shah mentioned that the parliamentary committee of the Home Ministry is currently examining these new laws. He also added that they will be passed in the near future.

It shall be noted that the new criminal justice system will be built upon these laws.

Amit Shah emphasized that the old laws were designed to protect the government's interests, whereas the new laws are intended to safeguard the rights of the public and remove barriers that hinder people's access to those rights.

The Home Minister expressed his belief that the batch graduating on that day is fortunate, as they will be the ones entrusted with the responsibility of handling the nation's internal security under the new laws.

Amit Shah stated that the foremost duty of implementing the new laws effectively at the grassroots level falls upon the probationers graduating on that day. He emphasized the importance of these probationers comprehending the underlying principles of these laws and ensuring the safety and protection of the public's rights.

Amit Shah mentioned that the new law has redefined terrorism and organized crime while also incorporating several provisions aimed at eradicating inter-state criminal gangs.

Amit Shah highlighted that, in addition to these changes, the police have been granted more authority through the legalization of technical provisions. He added that the investigative process has been modernized and now includes digital aspects, with established systems to adhere to investigation charge sheet timelines and forensic requirements. Furthermore, Shah mentioned that a specific plan with a set timeframe has been devised to enhance the conviction rate under the new laws, and these laws have brought about several modifications in the justice system.

The Indian government had put forth the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, as a replacement for the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, as a substitute for the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), and the Bharatiya Sakshya Bill, 2023, to supplant the Evidence Act.

Amit Shah acknowledged that significant progress has been made in the past decade in curbing terrorism, left-wing extremism, and Naxal violence due to the dedicated efforts of brave police personnel. However, he pointed out that challenges still persist. He also highlighted that there are several new challenges, including organized crime, cybercrime, inter-state, and international financial crime that the nation needs to confront.

He further emphasized the importance of maintaining the same level of determination in the battle against challenges like drug trafficking, the potential impact of cryptocurrency on the country's economy, hawala trade, and counterfeit currency operations. He asserted that over the past nine years, the Modi government has achieved significant success in enhancing the law and order situation in three critical regions of the country: the North-East, Left Wing Extremism areas, and Jammu and Kashmir.

Amit Shah urged the officer trainees to transition from a mode of "reacting-and-responding policing" to one of "preventive, predictive, and proactive policing." He also stressed the importance of adapting policing methods to suit the evolving environment and changing times and encouraged them to maintain a high level of sensitivity towards the less privileged and marginalized sections of society, emphasizing the need to proactively safeguard their rights.