Page 24 - NIS English 1-15 July, 2026

Sections Revised: Some Reduced,

Others Enhanced in New Laws

The Central Government has made significant changes regarding priorities in the new criminal justice reform laws. This was
necessary because the system had been operating based on the IPC (163 years old), CrPC (125 years old), and the Evidence
Act (150 years old)—all originally enacted by the British Parliament. In the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, sections dealing
with crimes against women, children, and the nation have been prioritized—a departure from colonial-era laws. Under the
old laws, provisions regarding sedition, looting of the exchequer, and attacks on government officials took precedence over
sections concerning crimes against women, children, and the nation.
358 Sections are now included in the Bharatiya

Nyaya Sanhita; previously, the Indian Penal
Code (1860) contained 511 sections.
21 New sections 41 Sections now carry

enhanced terms of
defining offenses
Bharatiya have been added. imprisonment.
Nyaya
82 have been enhanced, 19 repealed. Community
Sanhita Offenses fine amounts Sections have been

and mandatory
introduced as a form
minimum sentences service has been
have been introduced of punishment for
for 25 offenses. six offenses.

the President, large-scale public awareness campaigns this rigorous, churning process—akin to the Samudra
were launched to ensure every citizen became familiar Manthan—emerged the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita as a
with the laws of independent India. stream of ‘Amrit’ for the Amrit Kaal era. Born of such
The challenges faced by the justice system over the immense collaboration, India’s new Nyaya Sanhita is
seven decades since independence were deeply delib- proving to be a milestone in the nation’s journey of
erated upon. Every aspect of the law was scrutinized justice. With the implementation of these laws on July
for its practical applicability and future relevance. From 1, 2024, all vestiges of the British Raj and colonial-era

22 NEW INDIA SAMACHAR || July 1-15, 2026