Amit Shah: To curb lynchings, panel set up to suggest amendments in IPC, CrPC

Amid a spurt in mob lynching cases in recent years, Union Home Minister Amit Shah informed the Rajya Sabha Wednesday that the government had set up a committee to suggest necessary amendments in the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) to deal with the issue.

Responding to a series of queries during Question Hour, Shah said he had written to all state chief ministers and

governors to send recommendations on making changes to IPC and CrPC after consulting with experienced investigating officers and public prosecutors.

"Under the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D), a committee has been set up to make changes in the IPC and CrPC. We will start working on amendments after receiving recommendations from the committee," Amit Shah said.

The Home Minister said the government would keep in mind Supreme Court orders while making changes to the IPC and CrPC. The SC had in a July 17 judgment asked Parliament to consider enacting a new law to effectively deal with incidents of mob lynching, saying "horrendous acts of mobocracy" cannot be allowed to become a new norm.

Earlier this week, Bajaj Group chairman Rahul Bajaj expressed concern on the absence of effective action against lynchings in the presence of the Home Minister and other union ministers.

Rajasthan and West Bengal have already passed bills to check incidents of mob assaults and lynching and criminalised such actions.

Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said there was "no separate" definition for such incidents under the existing IPC. Lynching incidents can be dealt with under Section 300 and 302 of IPC. Section 302 provides that whoever commits murder shall be punished with death or imprisonment for life and shall also be liable to fine. The offence of murder is a cognisable, non-bailable and non-compoundable offence, he said.

When a CPI-M member sought to know ideological reasons for rise in mob lynching, Deputy Chairman Venkaiah Naidu said, "Should some community be totally excluded from the operation of this act. Why are you bringing the community in this?"

(Inputs from The Indian EXpress)