Arunachal Pradesh Decides To Use English And Hindi For New Criminal Laws

ITANAGAR: In a significant move, the state of Arunachal Pradesh has decided to utilize the English and Hindi versions of the three newly introduced criminal laws, an official privy to the matter revealed on Friday.

This decision has been made taking into account the various dialects which are spoken in different parts of Arunachal Pradesh.

It is worth mentioning that Santanu Borthakur, a senior advocate of Assam, has raised serious concerns regarding the impact of the new criminal laws on the Assamese-speaking population.

The problem stems from the fact that the Assamese translations of the new criminal laws essential for the state's police force and legal community is not yet available.

This has the potential to create confusion or chaos in the state, especially when people file cases at police stations.

Borthakur told the media that judges and lawyers will not face any problem as they primarily work with the original English versions of these laws.

However, significant challenges might arise for ordinary citizens in understanding the new criminal laws due to the lack of translation in the native language, he added.

Meanwhile, over 3,500 police personnel in seven northeastern states have received training while hundreds of security officers of different ranks would be trained on the execution of the three new criminal laws coming into force from July 1.

The new criminal laws, namely Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) will replace the existing Indian Penal Code (IPC), Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), and the Indian Evidence Act, respectively, from July 1.

Addressing a workshop, Additional Director General of Police, CID, Munna Prasad Gupta, asserted that major changes have been made in the three criminal laws with more focus on the rights of the victim, especially for women and children.

There will be more use of technology in the judicial system under the new setup, Gupta said, adding that the three new laws will focus on speedy justice rather than punishment.

He also said that these laws would make the justice system hassle-free, wherein digital evidence will be at par with physical evidence.

ALSO READ: New Delhi: NTA Announces Revised Dates For UGC-NET, CSIR-UGC NET Exam

ALSO WATCH: