The Punjab government is set to implement new criminal laws – Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) from July 1. Ahead of this, extensive training and capacity-building efforts have been undertaken for stakeholders, culminating in a trial run scheduled for June 29.
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CHANDIGARH: The Punjab government is all set to implement three new criminal laws, namely the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA), starting from July 1. This significant move follows extensive training sessions and capacity-building programs designed for all stakeholders involved.
Home Secretary Gurkirat Kirpal Singh announced-
“We are going to hold a trial run on June 29.”
He further elaborated that multiple rounds of training have been held at various training centers, standard operating procedures (SOPs) are in place, and manuals have been shared with everyone involved in the process of implementing the new criminal laws.
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The implementation process involves multiple agencies, including police, prosecution, forensics, prisons, and judicial authorities. To ensure seamless integration, their training sessions have been conducted across various locations throughout the state. Prosecution wing officials have received training at the Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration (MGSIPA) in Chandigarh.
Similarly, both gazetted and non-gazetted police personnel have been trained at several locations including the Punjab Police Academy (PPA) in Phillaur, the Police Recruits Training Centre (PRTC) in Jahan Khelan, Hoshiarpur, the Recruit Training Centre (RTC) at Punjab Armed Police in Jalandhar, and the In-Service Training Centre (ISTC) in Kapurthala.
Punjab Police have trained a total of 249 master trainers to date. In addition, 20,261 gazetted officers and other police officials have been trained in the three new criminal laws.
Addressing the translation of the new criminal laws into Punjabi, the home secretary said-
“We have already referred the new laws to the legal remembrancer for translation because technical issues are involved, therefore it requires specialists. It will be completed soon.”
He emphasized that the new laws will come into force from July 1, with the old laws—the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), and Indian Evidence Act (IEA)—remaining applicable only for ongoing cases.
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The Union Home Secretary has been leading a series of meetings with state government officers, and the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D) has created effective training modules and materials to ensure the successful implementation of the new laws. Unlike a few other states, Punjab has not raised any issues with the Centre regarding the content of the new laws.
