Gearing up for the roll-out of the three new criminal laws on July 1, the Home Ministry’s National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) has made 23 functional modifications in the existing Crime and Criminal Tracking Networks and Systems (CCTNS) applications used in investigation, trial and court proceedings.

These are among the initiatives taken by the MHA after the new criminal laws -- Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA), 2023 -- were notified on December 25, 2023, to ensure their effective implementation and to create awareness amongst all stakeholders, including the police, prison, prosecutors, judicial, forensic personnel, and the public. .

The NCRB also provides technical assistance to the states and UTs for seamless transition to the new system. It has formed 36 support teams and set up a call centre for constant review and handholding of the states and UTs in implementation of the new criminal laws.

Additionally, National Informatics Centre (NIC) has developed the ‘eSakshya’, ‘NyayShruti’ and ‘eSummon’ apps to facilitate videography and photography of crime scenes, judicial hearings and delivery of court summons electronically under the new criminal laws, the MHA sources said.

The Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D) has developed training modules, which have been shared with all the stakeholders. “BPR&D also conducted 250 training courses/ webinars/ seminars in which 40,317 officers/ personnel have been trained. Under its handholding, the States/ UTs have also undertaken capacity building of 5,84,174 personnel, including 5,65,746 police officers and personnel from prison, forensics, judicial and prosecution,” MHA officials said.

MHA sources also said iGOT- Karmayogi Bharat and BPR&D are also offering three training courses each on the new Criminal Laws in which 2,17,985 officials have been enrolled so far.

The government has also roped in other ministries for effective implementation of the laws. To make citizens aware about the transformative reforms and the positive impact it will have, particularly on women and children, the Ministry of Women & Child Development, the Ministry of Rural Development and the Ministry of Panchayati Raj are disseminating information on the new laws through webinars, in which nearly 40 lakh grassroots level functionaries participated.

Likewise, the Department of Legal Affairs organised four conferences in state capitals, which was attended by delegates from diverse fields, including the Chief Justice of India, Judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts, and domain experts.

Under the guidance of the Department of Higher Education, the University Grants Commission has circulated flyers on the new laws to 1,200 universities and 40,000 colleges, and the AICTE to approximately 9,000 institutions, to sensitise the faculty and students about the new laws, the MHA sources said.

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