30 July 2024, Lucknow.
The Consultation was jointly organized by PAIRVI, New Delhi and Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University, Lucknow. As of July 1, 2024, three new criminal justice laws have come into force. Instead of the old Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), and the Evidence Act, we have the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, (BNS), the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam respectively. However, critics of the new legal regime and some legal experts have pointed out that the new laws have made largely cosmetic changes to the old provisions while adding some new penal provisions that give increased powers to the police, dilute civil liberties, promote misogyny, and undermine federalism. Now these laws will be scrutinized in time to come by courts, but there is a lot of apprehension among the legal fraternity. This topic needs wider discussion, deliberation and debate among the people to make them aware about the implications of these new set of laws. Purpose of this Consultation was to demstify the new criminal laws and have informed discussion on this issue. More than 60 youths including Law Students, Legal Volunteers, Advocates, Members of Civil Society Organizations and Social Workers participated in this Consultation. Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Amar Pal Singh and Dr. G.K. Goswami (IPS), Founding Director – Uttar Pradesh State Institute of Forensic Sciences delivered the key addresses.