What happened (announced legal rollout + capacity building)
The Government of India, as communicated through the PIB release based on information provided by the Ministry of Home Affairs, stated that the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS), the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS) and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023 (BSA) came into force throughout India with effect from 1 July 2024.
States and Union Territories reported measures for implementation such as issuance of relevant notifications and rules, adoption of digital applications, and capacity building for stakeholders. Training of police personnel and other State-level stakeholders is primarily undertaken by the respective State and Union Territory Governments.
The Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D) conducted capacity-building programmes and webinars for Master Trainers and other stakeholders across all 36 States and Union Territories. Since 2024, BPR&D trained 83,740 officers and stakeholders from the five pillars of the criminal justice system, including Master Trainers. Master Trainers have then been used by State training institutions for further training within their respective States and Union Territories.
Background and earlier position (federal responsibility + earlier transition steps)
The Ministry of Home Affairs information in the PIB release links the legal transition to implementation responsibilities. “Police” and “Public Order” are State-list subjects under the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India. Responsibilities to maintain law and order, protect life and property of citizens, investigate crime, and prosecute offenders lie with the respective State and Union Territory Governments.