Implementation of New Criminal Laws Nationwide
The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS), and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023 (BSA) came into force throughout India effective July 1, 2024. All States and Union Territories have implemented necessary measures including issuance of relevant notifications and rules, adoption of digital applications, and capacity building of stakeholders.
Training and Capacity Building Initiatives
Training of police personnel and state-level stakeholders is primarily conducted by respective State and Union Territory Governments. The Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D) has conducted additional capacity-building programs and webinars for Master Trainers across all 36 States and Union Territories. Since 2024, BPR&D has trained 83,740 officers and stakeholders from the five pillars of the criminal justice system, including Master Trainers. The detailed breakdown shows: 29,387 police officers from States and 3,781 from UTs; 3,828 prison officers from States and 185 from UTs; 5,460 prosecutors from States and 455 from UTs; 5,420 judicial officers from States and 891 from UTs; and 2,157 forensic experts from States and 239 from UTs. Additionally, 2,317 personnel from CAPF/CPO and 27,898 others were trained.
Digital Transformation in Criminal Justice
The Nyaya Sanhita mandates technology integration at various stages of criminal justice processes. Available digital systems include electronic FIR registration (e-FIRs), electronic summons communication and service (e-Summons), audio-video recording of search, seizure and investigation proceedings, videography of forensic evidence collection, electronic statement recording (e-Sakshya), video conferencing for court proceedings (Nyaya Shruti), MedLeaPR for generating Medical Legal Examination and Postmortem reports, and the Inter Operable Criminal Justice System (ICJS) facilitating electronic exchange of FIRs, charge-sheets and other documents among Police, Courts, Prisons, Prosecution and Forensic Science Laboratories. Deployment and utilization of these systems are handled by respective States and Union Territories.
Financial Support and Infrastructure Development
While 'Police' and 'Public Order' are State-list subjects under the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution, the Central Government provides financial support for augmentation of criminal justice infrastructure through various schemes including Inter-Operable Criminal Justice System (ICJS) 2.0, forensic capacity modernization schemes, and Nirbhaya Fund-supported projects. Data collection templates have been modified to ensure consistency, comparability and continuity with previous years' crime data reporting.
State-Level Training Statistics
States and Union Territories have conducted extensive training programs utilizing Master Trainers. Total training figures show 1,706,735 personnel trained across all categories, with detailed breakdowns by state/UT including: Uttar Pradesh (233,969), West Bengal (50,339), Delhi (81,775), Jammu & Kashmir (74,004), and other states and UTs with comprehensive training numbers for police, prison officers, prosecutors, judicial officers, and forensic experts.