Protest against new criminal laws: Advocates form human chain outside City Civil Court

Bengaluru, NT Bureau: A protest unfolded as 35 to 40 advocates from the Indian Association of Lawyers (IAL), All India Lawyer’s Union (AILU), and All India Lawyers Association of Justice (AILAJ) formed a human chain outside the City Civil Court on Wednesday.

The demonstration was organized in response to the recent enactment of three significant criminal laws—Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhitha 2023, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita 2023, and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam 2023—which replaced the Indian Penal Code 1860, the Criminal Procedure Code 1973, and the Indian Evidence Act 1872.

According to the protesting advocates, Parliament passed the new laws in a manner critics deem undemocratic, without a thorough debate and public consultation.

The Pre-Legislative Consultation Policy 2014 requires a 30- day public consultation before a bill's introduction in Parliament. However, these bills were introduced without making the drafts available to the public, bypassing this essential step.

Despite detailed objections from progressive legal unions, the government has not adequately addressed these concerns. Key objections raised by the unions include significant changes to court jurisdictions and punishments without the creation of new courts.

Additionally, the new laws permit electronic trials without sufficient guidelines or safeguards against digital evidence tampering. The abrupt transition from existing laws has left law enforcement and judicial officers unprepared, potentially causing delays in justice and increasing case backlogs.

Further concerns involve the retrospective application of provisions, which could lead to a parallel justice system.