Archive · 9 Nov 2025
Technology is Core to India's New Criminal Laws: Union Home Secretary
Imagine India has new rules for dealing with crimes, like a new video game with updated features.
The old rules were like an old game from a long time ago, from when Britain ruled India.
The new rules, which started in July 2024, use a lot of technology to make things faster and fairer.
They want to make sure victims get justice quicker.
Think of things like sending legal papers online instead of by mail, or using video calls for court.
This makes the whole system work better, like a well-oiled machine.
The government is working with police, courts, and others to make sure everyone knows how to use these new tech tools.
They even have a system to update people automatically on their case.
It's all about making justice speedy and modern.
Technology is fundamental to India's new criminal laws, replacing colonial-era legislation.
The new laws aim to create a faster, more efficient, victim-centric, and technology-enabled justice system.
Key technological integrations include electronic evidence (e-Sakshya), digital summons (e-Summon), and audio-visual systems (Nyay Shruti).
The e-committee of the Supreme Court has been instrumental in driving technological integration.
Extensive training has been provided to over 1.8 million personnel across the police, prosecution, prison, forensic, and judicial departments.
- Who
- Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, along with participants from judiciary, prosecution, and police across states/UTs.
- What
- Discussed the central role of technology in India's new criminal laws aimed at creating a faster, more efficient, and decolonized justice system.
- When
- On Sunday, during a two-day national conference on new criminal laws (effective July 1, 2024).
- Where
- At the National Judicial Academy in Bhopal.
- Why
- To highlight the technological advancements and strategic shifts in the criminal justice system aimed at minimizing delays and enhancing efficiency.
New Laws
Previous Laws
Purpose and Focus
New Laws
Aim to decolonize India's criminal justice system, make it more victim-centric, and technology-enabled, ensuring faster and more efficient justice delivery by addressing delays.
Previous Laws
Colonial era laws that did not prioritize technology or speed in justice delivery.
Technological Integration
New Laws
Emphasizes e-Sakshya (electronic evidence), e-Summon (digital notices), community service, and Nyay Shruti (audio-visual systems). Aims for complete digitization of investigation and prosecution workflows.
Previous Laws
Did not incorporate such advanced technological features.
Efficiency and Speed
New Laws
Introduced provisions to minimize delays in investigation, trial, and procedural stages, ushering in an era of speedy justice.
Previous Laws
Prone to long-standing issues of delays in legal processes.
- New Laws Replaced
- Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure, Indian Evidence Act of 1872
- New Laws Enacted
- Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam
- Effective Date
- July 1, 2024
- Key Technological Features
- e-Sakshya, e-Summon, Nyay Shruti, Community Service
- Training Completed
- Over 15 lakh police officers, 12,100 prosecution officers, 43,941 prison officers, 3,036 forensic scientists, 18,884 judicial officers
- Registrations Since July 1
- Approx. 50 lakh FIRs, over 33 lakh charge sheets/final reports, over 14 lakh victims received automated case updates, over 38 thousand zero FIRs