On separate law to curb mob lynching, Amit Shah says panel working on changes to IPC, CrPC

The minister said a group of ministers was constituted to deliberate on a law to handle cases of lynching and make recommendations.

Amid demand by members for a separate law to curb mob lynching, home minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said in Rajya Sabha that the government has set up a committee to suggest necessary amendments in the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) to deal with it.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah arrives to attend the ongoing winter session, at Parliament House, in New Delhi on Friday, November 29.(Burhaan Kinu/HT PHOTO)

Responding to a series of queries during Question Hour, Shah said he also wrote to all chief ministers and governors of all states to recommend amendments to IPC and CrPC, after consulting with experienced investigating officers and public prosecutors “Under the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D), a committee has been set up to make changes in the IPC and CrPC. We will start working on amendments after receiving recommendations from the committee,” he told the Upper House.

He said the government will keep in mind Supreme Court orders while making the changes. On the issue of lynching, Minister of state for home affairs Nityanand Rai said there was “no separate” definition for such incidents under the IPC. Lynching incidents can be dealt with under Section 300 and 302 of IPC.

Section 302 provides that whoever commits murder shall be punished with death or imprisonment for life. Offence of murder is a cognisable, non- bailable and non-compoundable offence, he said. The minister said a group of ministers was constituted to deliberate on a law to handle cases of lynching and make recommendations.