What happened: Ministry of Home Affairs’ written reply on citizen-centric measures in the new Sanhitas/BNSS

The Ministry of Home Affairs, through a written reply by Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs Shri Bandi Sanjay Kumar in the Lok Sabha, described the new criminal laws (Sanhitas) as measures to create a more citizen-centric, accessible, and efficient justice system. The Ministry’s emphasis was on provisions focused on justice and due process rather than punishment alone, and it connected these measures to the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and the new procedural law set out in the new Sanhitas/BNSS (Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, as referenced in the reply).

Background and earlier position: why procedural reform mattered

Prior to the new Sanhitas and BNSS framework, criminal justice in India relied mainly on earlier colonial-era procedure for police investigation, trial processes, and protections for victims and accused. In practice, issues repeatedly discussed in policymaking included long gaps between incident reporting, investigation progress, and supply of case documents; inconsistent police jurisdiction handling across police stations; and wide discretion in arrest decisions.

What changed now: key Sanhitas/BNSS features mentioned by the Ministry

The Ministry outlined a set of victim-centric, time-bound, and due-process oriented provisions. The provisions mentioned in the Lok Sabha reply include the following categories.

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