New Criminal Laws in Jammu: ADGP Anand Jain Highlights Changes

Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], July 1: A special programme was held at the police auditorium in Jammu to raise awareness about the new criminal laws that came into effect today. The event was attended by several notable figures, including Jammu Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Anand Jain.

ADGP Anand Jain emphasized the new laws’ focus on security for women and children, stating, “There are enough security provisions for women and children in these laws. It will bring transparency to our investigation. Our process will improve and we will be able to take timely action. We are now moving from ‘Dand’ to ‘Nyay’. This is a significant change. The provision of Zero-FIR ensures that the complainant doesn’t need to go anywhere.”

Vikram Sharma, President of the Jammu Bar Association, also spoke at the event, highlighting the need for these new laws to replace outdated colonial-era laws. He said, “The importance of this can be gauged by the fact that the ‘Nyay Sanhita’ has been used for the first time. The basic motto of these laws is to deliver justice to society. To deliver justice to those victims who appeal to the law. This also has historical significance. Until now, we have been operating under the laws of 1872. In this era of Chandrayaan-3, what compulsion was there that no one thought of bringing laws that are specific to India? This was also a requirement of the time.”

Shreya, a student who attended the programme, expressed her approval of the new laws, particularly for women’s safety, and stressed the importance of ensuring their effectiveness in the future.

The new criminal laws, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, and Bharatiya Sakshya Sanhita, officially came into effect from July 1 midnight. These laws were approved by Parliament on December 21, 2023, and received President Droupadi Murmu’s assent on December 25, 2023.

Details of the New Laws