Three bills to replace British-era criminal laws get President's assent

President Droupadi Murmu gave assent to the three new criminal justice bills which were cleared by Parliament last week

President Droupadi Murmu on December 25 gave assent to the three new criminal justice bills which were cleared by Parliament last week.

The three new laws — the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and the Bharatiya Sakshya Act — will replace the colonial era Indian Penal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure and the Indian Evidence Act of 1872.

While replying to a debate on the three bills in Parliament, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had said the focus were on delivering justice rather than handing down punishment.

The legislation aim at completely overhauling the criminal justice system in the country by giving definition of various offences and their punishments. These have given a clear definition of terrorism, abolished sedition as a crime and introduced a new section titled "offenses against the state".