Noting that three new criminal laws represent the most significant legal reform of the 21st century, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday asserted that India will have the highest conviction rate in the world in the coming decade.
File Photo: IANS
Noting that three new criminal laws represent the most significant legal reform of the 21st century, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday asserted that India will have the highest conviction rate in the world in the coming decade.
Addressing the All India Forensic Science Summit 2025 organised by the National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU) here, Shah said, “Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we are striving to make the justice system people-centric and scientific.”
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He said that efforts are also being made to ensure that those seeking justice get justice on time and also have the satisfaction of getting justice.
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“Through this, our aim is to create a safe, capable and competent India,” the Union Home Minister said.
He said to strengthen the criminal justice system, the Government of India has brought three new criminal laws in the form of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA).
Shah said without forensic science, it is not possible to deliver timely justice and increase the rate of conviction.
“Modern crimes now transcend city, state, national, and even international boundaries. In such a situation, the importance of forensic science has increased a lot,” he said.
Shah said PM Modi’s visionary leadership has brought significant transformation to the country’s criminal justice system. He emphasised that a system has been established where neither the accused nor the complainant is subjected to injustice.
“To ensure this balance, integrating forensic science into the criminal justice process is essential,” he said.
The Union Home Minister underlined that following the directive of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to get rid the country of colonial-era laws, work on finalising new criminal laws was carried out between 2019 and 2024.
He noted that extensive discussions during this period revealed the extent to which the outdated laws were harming India’s criminal justice system.
Shah emphasised that if laws are not updated in accordance with changing times, they become obsolete and irrelevant. He added that the original intent of the old criminal laws was not to deliver justice to Indian citizens but to uphold British rule.
In contrast, the three new criminal laws introduced under PM Modi’s leadership have been crafted by Indians, for the protection and justice of Indian citizens, he said.
Shah said this represents the most significant legal reform of the 21st century. He further explained that the new laws provide a legal foundation for the use of modern technology and have been designed with a forward-looking approach — incorporating not only current technologies but also anticipating technological developments for the next 100 years.
The Union Home Minister said that the new laws have formally defined e-documents and e-summons. He explained that the method of technology used is irrelevant as long as the law recognises e-documents, and similarly, once people accept e-summons, the mode of delivery no longer matters.
Shah emphasised that technology has been integrated at every stage of the criminal justice process — from the crime scene to investigation, and through to the trial.
Forensic investigation has been made mandatory for all crimes that carry a punishment of more than seven years, the Union Home Minister said.
He expressed confidence that these changes will lead to India achieving the highest conviction rate in the world in the coming decade.
Shah said the conviction rate in the country currently stands at 54 per cent. He said that terrorism has been defined in the new laws. Voice logs and digital voice mail have also been given a place. Arrangements have also been made in BNSS to give legal basis to audio, video recordings, videography of forensic evidence and digital records in interrogation.
He said today 100 per cent police stations in the country have been computerised through Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and System (CCTNS).
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