Centre on Tuesday introduced three redrafted bills in Parliament to replace the existing criminal laws. The revamped bills were withdrawn following recommendations by the parliamentary standing committee.
Redrafted Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Bill
As per media reports, the new draft bills included changed suggested made by a parliamentary panel and one of the recommendations reportedly involves widening the scope of what constitutes “terrorist acts”.
According to the redrafted Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Bill, the definition of terrorism now includes the word "economic security", amongst other changes.
As per the bill, the terrorism offence would include "any act with the intent to threaten or likely to threaten the unity, integrity, sovereignty, security, or economic security of India of with intent to strike terror or likely to strike terror in the people or any section of the people in India or in any foreign country”.
Damage to the monetary stability of India by way of "production or smuggling or circulation of counterfeit Indian paper currency, coin" would also be considered "terrorist acts", as per the bill.
Additionally, use of “criminal force” against any public functionary will also constitute a terrorist act.
Criminal law bills revised during monsoon session of parliament
The three revamped criminal law bills -Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Bill, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam- were introduced during this year's monsoon session in the Lok Sabha in a bid to refurbish the criminal justice system in the country.
The bills seek to replace the Indian Penal Code, 1860, the Code of Criminal Procedure Act, 1898, and the Indian Evidence Act, 1872, respectively.
