The Minister of Law and Justice, Shri Kiren Rijiju in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha today informed that the Department-related Parliamentary standing Committee on Home Affairs, in its 146th Report dated 23.06.2010, had recommended that there is a need for a comprehensive review of the Criminal Justice System of the country. Earlier the Parliamentary Standing Committee in its 111th and 128th Reports had also stressed upon the need to reform and rationalize the criminal law of the country by introducing a comprehensive legislation in Parliament rather than bringing about piecemeal amendments.
The need to re-visit the Criminal Laws from time to time cannot be over emphasized. However, amendments in criminal laws is a continuous process which involves wider consultations with all stakeholders and examination of Law Commission’s Reports, various Courts Judgements, various Committees reports on the subject. Meanwhile, the Government has brought out Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2018, inter alia, amending the Indian Penal Code, 1860 and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (POCSO) providing for increased minimum punishment for the offence of rape and gang rape of women and minor girls. In case of rape and gang rape of women below 12 years of age, the minimum punishment of twenty years extendable of life imprisonment or death has been prescribed.
A comprehensive review of criminal laws viz. Indian Penal Code (IPC), Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) and Indian Evidence Act is an ongoing process for bringing out further comprehensive legislation by taking into account the suggestions of all stakeholders.