Editor's Pick: Panel holds back its report on crime Bills

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs postponed its adoption of a draft report on three Bills seeking to replace existing criminal laws, after pressure from the Opposition parties seeking more time to examine it. According to sources, the English version of the draft report was circulated just last week and the Hindi version was sent to members of the parliamentary panel only on Thursday evening, just hours before the adoption of the report was slated at Friday’s meeting of the panel. Three members — Congress MPs Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary and Digivijay Singh, along with Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam MP N.R. Elango — have filed dissent notes, sources said. They are demanding several changes in the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 that will replace the Indian Penal Code, and the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 that will replace the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC). More dissent notes are expected to follow. One key point of contention, the Hindi nomenclature of the Bills, has not been accepted in the draft reports. The panel’s report states that since the text of the Bill is in English it does not violate provisions of Article 348 of the Constitution. The panel’s draft report has accepted a host of suggestions on the Bharatiya Sakshya, 2023, that is meant to replace the Indian Evidence Act; there is unanimity on that portion of the draft report. The panel began its consultations on the three Bills on August 24, with a presentation by Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla. It has held 12 meetings on the three Bills. According to Opposition members, this is highly inadequate, considering the scale and scope of the Bills. Sources said, a few minutes after Friday’s meeting began, the panel’s chairman and BJP MP Brijlal told the members that the draft reports slated to be adopted at the meeting as per the circulated agenda would be withheld. However, he did not state the reason for doing so, members said. This drew sharp criticism from the two Trinamool Congress MPs Derek O’ Brien and Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, who pointed out that they had came to Delhi, leaving Lakshmi Puja which is on Saturday, in order to attend the meeting. In fact, the Trinamool demanded that the committee seek an extension of at least three months to submit its report on the Bills. It urged the panel to “stop bulldozing these Bills for short-term electoral gains.” Hurrying through the Bills would amount to mocking the process of “legislative scrutiny”, the two MPs said. Speaking at Friday’s meeting, Mr. Elango raised three key points, according to the sources. The Bills, he said, need extensive consultations with the governments and stakeholders in the States. He once again reiterated his criticism of the Hindi nomenclature of the Bills, which he said was exclusionary for a large section of the country. This explainer highlights the key points of the proposed criminal law reforms Bills. The Hindu’s Editorial Mystery trial: On the case of the former Indian Navy personnel in Qatar Another honeymoon: On the return of Nawaz Sharif to Pakistan The Hindu’s Daily News Quiz Which nation recently handed down the death penalty to eight former Indian Navy personnel? Saudi Arabia Jordan Qatar Iran To know the answer and to play the full quiz, click here. [logo] Editor's Pick 28 October 2023 [The Hindu logo] In the Editor's Pick newsletter, The Hindu explains why a story was important enough to be carried on the front page of today's edition of our newspaper. [[Arrow]Open in browser]( [[Mail icon]More newsletters]( Panel holds back its report on crime Bills The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs[postponed its adoption of a draft report on three Bills seeking to replace existing criminal laws]( after pressure from the Opposition parties seeking more time to examine it. According to sources, the English version of the draft report was circulated just last week and the Hindi version was sent to members of the parliamentary panel only on Thursday evening, just hours before the adoption of the report was slated at Friday’s meeting of the panel. Three members — Congress MPs Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary and Digivijay Singh, along with Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam MP N.R. Elango — have filed dissent notes, sources said. They are demanding several changes in the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 that will replace the Indian Penal Code, and the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 that will replace the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC). More dissent notes are expected to follow. One key point of contention, the Hindi nomenclature of the Bills, has not been accepted in the draft reports. The panel’s report states that since the text of the Bill is in English it does not violate provisions of Article 348 of the Constitution. The panel’s draft report has accepted a host of suggestions on the Bharatiya Sakshya, 2023, that is meant to replace the Indian Evidence Act; there is unanimity on that portion of the draft report. The panel began its consultations on the three Bills on August 24, with a presentation by Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla. It has held 12 meetings on the three Bills. According to Opposition members, this is highly inadequate, considering the scale and scope of the Bills. Sources said, a few minutes after Friday’s meeting began, the panel’s chairman and BJP MP Brijlal told the members that the draft reports slated to be adopted at the meeting as per the circulated agenda would be withheld. However, he did not state the reason for doing so, members said. This drew sharp criticism from the two Trinamool Congress MPs Derek O’ Brien and Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, who pointed out that they had came to Delhi, leaving Lakshmi Puja which is on Saturday, in order to attend the meeting. In fact, the Trinamool demanded that the committee seek an extension of at least three months to submit its report on the Bills. It urged the panel to “stop bulldozing these Bills for short-term electoral gains.” Hurrying through the Bills would amount to mocking the process of “legislative scrutiny”, the two MPs said. Speaking at Friday’s meeting, Mr. Elango raised three key points, according to the sources. The Bills, he said, need extensive consultations with the governments and stakeholders in the States. He once again reiterated his criticism of the Hindi nomenclature of the Bills, which he said was exclusionary for a large section of the country. This [explainer]( highlights the key points of the proposed criminal law reforms Bills. The Hindu’s Editorial [Arrow][Mystery trial: On the case of the former Indian Navy personnel in Qatar]( [Arrow][Another honeymoon: On the return of Nawaz Sharif to PakistanÂ]( The Hindu’s Daily News Quiz Which nation recently handed down the death penalty to eight former Indian Navy personnel? - Saudi Arabia - Jordan - Qatar - Iran To know the answer and to play the full quiz, [click here.]( [Sign up for free]( Today’s Best Reads [[Odourless, tasteless, lethal: thallium as a murder weapon] Odourless, tasteless, lethal: thallium as a murder weapon]( [[Government imposes minimum export price of $800 per tonne on onion till December 31] Government imposes minimum export price of $800 per tonne on onion till December 31]( [[BSF lodges strong protest with Pakistani counterpart over unprovoked firing along IB in Jammu] BSF lodges strong protest with Pakistani counterpart over unprovoked firing along IB in Jammu]( [[How much financial aid does U.S. provide to Israel? | Explained] How much financial aid does U.S. provide to Israel? | Explained]( Copyright @ 2023, THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD. 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