Over 3,500 police personnel across seven northeastern states have undergone training, with hundreds more security officers of various ranks set to be trained on the implementation of three new criminal laws that will come into force on July 1. The new laws, namely Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA), will replace the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), and the Indian Evidence Act, respectively.
Officials from all northeastern state governments have taken numerous steps to ensure the smooth implementation of these new laws. Assam DGP Gyanendra Pratap Singh reported that around 200 officers of Assam Police have already received training in criminal forensic science, with over 500 more officers expected to be trained in the coming months. Addressing a workshop, Additional Director General of Police, CID, Munna Prasad Gupta, highlighted that significant changes have been made in the new laws, focusing more on the rights of victims, particularly women and children. Gupta also noted that the new judicial setup would emphasize the use of technology and prioritize speedy justice over mere punishment, equating digital evidence with physical evidence.
In Agartala, a workshop was organized by the Press Information Bureau (PIB) in collaboration with the Tripura State Legal Services Authority, Tripura Judicial Academy, National Law University, and Government Law College. Tripura Advocate General Siddhartha Shankar Dey, addressing the workshop, remarked that the country would finally have its own criminal laws 75 years after Independence, during the ‘Amrit Kaal’. He referenced the 2012 ‘Nirbhaya’ gangrape and murder case as a catalyst for recognizing the necessity of creating national laws to enhance the justice delivery system. Tripura DGP (Intelligence) Anurag mentioned that the new laws allow for the filing of ‘Zero FIR,’ enabling citizens to file an FIR from any location via email. In Tripura, over 800 police officers and security personnel across eight districts have been trained on the new laws.
In Mizoram, approximately 1,500 police personnel from 11 districts have received training. Additionally, 93% of the police staff and supervisory officers, along with 1,965 individuals, including church leaders, students, and NGO functionaries, have been trained. The state government has formed five committees to address legal issues, technology upgrades, training, digital investigations, and financial implications. These committees have provided recommendations to ensure the successful implementation of the new laws.
Meghalaya’s Law Department has organized several sensitization programs across different districts to familiarize police and law enforcement officers with the new laws. In Manipur, an awareness and sensitization campaign on the new laws was conducted by Manipur University to educate the public. So far, over 500 police officers in Manipur have been trained.
In Arunachal Pradesh, Chief Secretary Dharmendra chaired a State Level Steering Committee (SLSC) meeting to discuss the implementation of the new criminal laws. He stated that the state police and the Law Department are committed to ensuring the new laws are effectively put into practice from July 1.
