State likely to pass resolution against 3 new criminal laws

Kolkata: Bengal government may pass a resolution in the state Assembly if the three new laws brought in by the Centre — Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023 (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita 2023 (BNSS) and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam 2023 (BSA) — infringe upon the state’s power.

Senior Cabinet minister Chandrima Bhattacharya said that discussion will take place in the Assembly on July 31 and August 1 on the three new laws and it will be ascertained if the new laws are infringing upon the state’s jurisdiction and powers enshrined in the

Constitution in the Concurrent list. The resolution may be sent to the President of India in order to draw the attention of the Centre.

Incidentally, the Bengal government has already formed a seven-member committee to suggest within three months whether any state-specific changes were required in the newly-enacted criminal laws that have replaced British-era ones from July 1. The committee is to be chaired by Ashim Kumar Roy, former Calcutta High Court judge and Bengal Lokayukta. The government has asked the committee to engage with domain experts and seek public opinion on the subject.

Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023 (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita 2023 and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam 2023 (BSA) have replaced Indian Penal Code 1860, Criminal Procedure Code 1973 and Indian Evidence Act 1872, respectively From July 1.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee had earlier urged PM Narendra Modi to “review” the new laws. Meanwhile, the Business Advisory (BA) committee meeting was held in the Assembly where it was decided that discussion on three new laws will be held on July 31 and August 1. It was earlier decided that discussion on the new laws would be held on July 26 and July 29. A discussion will, however, take place in the Assembly on July 26 and July 29 on the India-Bhutan flood situation and how to control the flood situation in North Bengal. A proposal for discussion on this will be brought in the Assembly under 169 A proposal.

Recently, water that flowed down from Bhutan caused flooding in North Bengal and it has become a major cause of concern for the state government.

A resolution may also be passed in the Assembly on the issue to draw the attention of the Central government. State Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay said that Opposition MLAs may also support the resolution that will be brought by the state government on the flood issue. The Assembly session

ends on August 5.