‘Centre ignoring federal structure of Constitution’

Kolkata: State Finance minister Chandrima Bhattacharya on Monday accused the Centre of ignoring the federal structure of the Indian Constitution with the implementation of three fresh criminal codes from July 1, replacing the British-era Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) and Indian Evidence Act.

“The criminal codes have come into effect without any consultation with the states or discussion in the Parliament. It was passed in the Parliament on a day when the Opposition MPs were suspended. Everything is being done at the behest of a single party. We are celebrating the 75th year of the Indian Constitution whose federal structure is being ignored through such steps,” Bhattacharya said on the sidelines of an event in Kolkata.

She added that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had raised this issue in a recent programme held in the city on Saturday which was attended by Honourable Justices from the Supreme Court. In regards to implementation of these Bills, when the Justices claimed that they could interfere in case an application or petition is filed, Bhattacharya questioned why they should wait for it. She urged for suo motu order to be passed in this regard.

Bhattacharya expressed doubts whether the implementation of the same can be done in a proper manner by the police as according to her, the latter are also not clear on these fresh criminal codes.

Mamata Banerjee recently wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to postpone the implementation of three new criminal laws from July 1 and instead place them on the floor of Parliament for “fresh deliberation and scrutiny”.

“I urge your esteemed office now to consider at least a deferment of the implementation date. Reasons are twofold: ethical, and practical. Ethically, I believe that it would be in the fitness of things to place these significant legislative changes before the newly elected Parliament for fresh deliberation and scrutiny,” Banerjee mentioned in her letter.