With dummy FIRs and pocket guides, police get ready to switch to new criminal laws
23 modifications made to online platform used by more than 16,000 police stations to register FIR; old laws will still be in use for existing cases in court
Ahead of the implementation of the new criminal laws from July 1, at least 23 modifications have been made to the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network Systems (CCTNS), an online platform used by more than 16,000 police stations across the country to register first information reports.
From July 1, the FIRs will be registered under Section 173 of the Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), instead of Section 154 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).
Ahead of rollout of new criminal laws, Home Ministry tests eSakhsya App 
A senior government official said all the States are on board and prepared to switch to the new system from July 1.
The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) replaces the Indian Penal Code, 1860; the Bharatiya Sakshya (BS) replaces the Indian Evidence Act, 1872; and the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) replaces the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898.
The Delhi Police, which was one of the first police forces across the country to roll out training and educational modules for the new laws, aims to sensitise all the 90,000 police personnel by August.
“Dummy FIRs are being filed to accustom the police officials to the new format. We have given pocket-sized books compressing the three laws to all ranks as a ready reckoner. The sections of laws being used for years are being changed, the books will come in handy while registering a case as they mention old and new sections on the same page,” Chhaya Sharma, Special Commissioner of Police (Training), Delhi, told The Hindu.
Transition period
Another police official said the old laws such as the IPC and CrPC will still be in use. “If a case is registered after July 1 but the crime occurred before the date, it will be registered under BNSS and relevant sections of the IPC. The existing cases in court, where chargesheets are yet to be filed or the trial is still on, will be held under the old system. The CCTNS will have both the old and new provisions,” said the official.
A total of 20 new crimes have been added, and the period of imprisonment has been increased for 33 offences. The penalty of community service has been introduced for six crimes and a mandatory minimum punishment has been introduced in 23 crimes. Under the BNSS, police custody has been increased from 15 days to 90 days, depending on the gravity of the offence. The BNSS will have 531 sections (in place of 484 sections of the CrPC).
The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) has made 23 functional modifications in the existing CCTNS application and is providing technical assistance to the States for seamless transition to the new system.
Further, the NCRB formed 36 support teams and a call centre for constant review and handholding of the States for the implementation of the new laws, the official said.
The National Informatics Centre (NIC) has developed applications such eSakshya, NyayShruti and eSummon for facilitating videography and photography of crime scenes, judicial hearings and electronic delivery of court summons respectively.
The Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D) has conducted 250 training courses, in which 40,317 officers have been trained on the new laws. As many as 58,4174 police officers and personnel from prisons, forensics and judicial departments, have also been apprised of the new laws.
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