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Chandigarh Police rush to clear backlog ahead of new criminal laws rollout
With just two days left before the July 1 implementation, Chandigarh Police are racing against time to expedite disposal of complaints filed under the Indian Penal Code
As the July 1 implementation of the new criminal laws inches closer, Chandigarh Police are in a race against time to expedite the disposal of complaints filed under the provisions of Indian Penal Code (IPC).
As many as 34,000 complaints from January to June 15 have been disposed of by the police and the remaining 2,000 complaints have to be reduced to zero by June 30.
The three new criminal laws, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, which will replace the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) and the Indian Evidence Act, respectively, will come into force from July 1.
To lay more focus on the implementation of these laws, the department is aiming at a zero-pendency status by the end of June. This ambitious goal has pushed police officers to dispose of hundreds of complaints daily at several police stations. In a bid to expedite pendency, many recent FIRs have been lodged, covering cases largely from immigration fraud, cheating and theft.
Despite the push for zero pendency, the complete transition from IPC to Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) remains a challenging task.
Reason: cases registered up to June 30 will continue to be investigated under the old laws (IPC), necessitating that police officers navigate both legal frameworks concurrently in the coming months.
To assist in this dual navigation, police officers have been provided with a corresponding section table of the BNS and the IPC in their mobile application. This digital tool will be a crucial reference point for officers handling both old and new cases.
According to the new provisions, investigations of crimes pending before July 1, 2024, will continue under the old laws. Even crimes that occurred before July 1, but registered after this date, will fall under the IPC framework.
A continuing crime that was being committed before July 1 and continues to be committed after July 1, and registered after July 1, will be registered under both IPC and BNS.
A senior police official shared that the concurrent handling of cases under both old and new provisions can be challenging for police and may initially impact the police’s ability to manage investigations efficiently.
Officers will need to be vigilant and well-versed in both legal frameworks, ensuring they apply the correct laws based on the date of the crime and its registration. This dual responsibility could lead to potential delays and complexities in legal proceedings, as officers may need to frequently cross-reference the two sets of laws to ensure compliance.
