Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday dedicated to the nation the successful implementation of the three new criminal laws here in Chandigarh. These laws -- Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam -- came into effect on July 1, replacing the British-era Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure and the Indian Evidence Act, respectively.

Chandigarh has become the country's first administrative unit where 100 per cent implementation of the three laws has been done.

He said that the three new criminal laws “freed India from colonial legacy” as they “are a concrete step towards fulfilling the ideals that the Constitution has imagined for the country”.

Speaking at a programme to mark the implementation of the new criminal laws at Punjab Engineering College (PEC) in Chandigarh, the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana, Modi said, “The new criminal laws, a concrete step towards fulfilling the ideals that our Constitution has imagined for the citizens of our country. In the seven decades after Independence, the challenges faced by our judicial system were studied and thought upon. Behavioural aspects of all the laws were analysed. I thank the Supreme Court, judges and High Courts, especially of Punjab and Haryana, and Bar (Association) who have taken the ownership of Nyay Sanhita.”

He said decades after Independence, “our laws were revolving around the same penal mindset. Over time, efforts were made to make some little changes in laws, but their characteristics remained the same.”

“The 1857 revolution shook the roots of British rule and in 1860, they brought the IPC and later, the Indian Evidence Act and the CrPC framework came into being. The purpose of those laws was to punish Indians and keep them enslaved,” the Prime Minister said.

Modi said, “At a time when the country is moving forward with the resolve of a united India, and as we celebrate 75 years of the Constitution, the implementation of Indian justice inspired by the spirit of the Constitution marks a significant beginning.”

Earlier, PM Modi along with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Punjab Governor and Chandigarh Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria, inspected the exhibition depicting the implementation of three criminal laws on the campus of Punjab Engineering College.

PM Modi was briefed by Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kanwardeep Kaur about the implementation of three transformative new criminal laws in Chandigarh with registration of 900 plus first information reports (FIRs) and four convictions in the past five months.

These laws aim to overhaul India’s criminal justice system, focusing on transparency, efficiency, and addressing modern challenges.

Inspects Exhibition Depicting Implementation of Criminal Laws

PM Modi also inspected the exhibition depicting the implementation of criminal laws by simulating a crime scene investigation on the campus of Punjab Engineering College, where a dummy police station was set up.

The presentation, themed “Secure Society, Developed India: From Punishment to Justice”, took place at an exhibition spread across eight stations, providing Prime Minister Modi with a live experience of how law enforcement, forensic teams, judicial authorities and prisons have become more efficient and technology-driven since the implementation of the laws.

A crime scene was depicted with a distress call at the Police Control Room. At the crime scene, the e-Sakshya app digitally recorded all evidence from the scene, including photos, videos and timestamps, which are then sent directly to the court. In this scene, the forensic team collects crucial evidence, while the “victim’s family member” identifies the body.

Home Minister Shah was seen explaining to Prime Minister Modi about the operation of the new laws for speedy justice, starting from the collection of evidence at the crime scene to providing solace to the victim’s family.

Speaking at the programme, Home Minister Shah said, “In the new laws, treason (deshdroh) has replaced sedition (rajdroh), which was there for centuries.”

He said that earlier laws were made in the British parliament; they were more for the protection of British rule and not for the people. “The laws that PM Modi has brought are made by Indians, in the Indian Parliament and to deliver justice to the people. These laws have no place for punishment but justice. It will be implemented in the entire country within three years.”

He said that PM Modi has created the world’s most modern criminal justice system to build a secure and developed Bharat for all.

The new criminal laws, which were implemented nationwide on July 1, 2024, aim to make India's legal system more transparent, efficient and adaptable to the needs of contemporary society, an official statement said on Monday.

These landmark reforms mark a historic overhaul of India's criminal justice system, bringing in new frameworks to tackle modern-day challenges such as cybercrime and organised crime and ensuring justice for victims of various offences, it said.

The local police also showcased the functionalities of applications such as e-Sakshya, Nyay Setu, Nyay Shruti and e-summons, which have been developed by the National Informatics Centre in collaboration with the National Crime Records Bureau.

Before heading to Chandigarh, PM Modi wrote on X, “A special day in our efforts to ensure speedy justice for every Indian and, at the same time, break free from colonial mindsets…will join the programme in Chandigarh to mark the successful implementation of the three new criminal laws. It’s a matter of immense joy that these laws are coming into being at a time when we mark 75 years of our Constitution being adopted by the Constituent Assembly.”