Lok Sabha passes three criminal law bills with 97 opposition MPs suspended

The Bharatiya Nyaya (Second) Sanhita 2023, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha (Second) Sanhita 2023 and Bharatiya Sakshya Bill 2023 were passed by the House through voice vote.

The Bills seek to repeal and replace the Indian Penal Code 1860, Code of Criminal Procedure 1973, and the Indian Evidence Act 1872.

The laws were passed without any substantial debate owing to the suspension of 143 Opposition members following protests over the recent Parliament security breach.

The number of suspensions in the Lok Sabha reached 97 on Wednesday, with the suspension of two more MPs.

The latest bone of contention between the government and the Opposition has been the mimicry of Rajya Sabha Chairman and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar by a Trinamool MP and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi videographing the same.

Replying to the discussion of the bills, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the three criminal bills will bring comprehensive changes in the criminal justice system and free the citizens from the colonial mindset.

"We are about to eradicate all signs of the shackles of our colonial past and of our slavery and create completely Indian criminal laws," he said.

Shah said that these laws embody the spirit of the Constitution of India, which is the spirit of justice and will fulfill another promise made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"The motive of the Indian Penal Code was to give punishment, not justice," he said.

Shah had introduced the bills in the monsoon session of Parliament, but they were later referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee of Home Affairs.

Last month, the panel submitted its reports on the proposed bills, suggesting various changes.

The Opposition has alleged that the suspension of MPs is the government's ploy to pass key bills without any discussion. The criminal law bills were vehemently criticised by several Opposition parties including the Congress, Trinamool Congress, and the DMK.