Assam: First case lodged under new criminal laws in state

Staff Reporter

Guwahati: In Assam, the first ever case under the new criminal law Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) was lodged in Nagaon. The three new criminal laws—Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam—came into effect across the country on Monday, July 1.

The Chief Minister informed the media that this was a historic day as the colonial-era laws have become obsolete and the country’s new criminal laws have come into effect. The first case under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the new law replacing the Indian Penal Code (IPC), was lodged in Nagaon at 12.32 p.m. He said that the government is well-equipped to handle the new laws, and a number of police officers have been trained for this purpose.

He also said the new law will bolster the state government’s efforts to root out child marriage in the state, as it contains provisions prohibiting child marriage. Some courts use interpretations of the Islamic laws to deliver different judgements on child marriage, and this dilutes the government’s efforts to prosecute offenders. He said that now, if anyone marries a girl below 18 years of age, he will not be able to indulge in sexual intercourse with his wife, as even consensual sex will be treated as rape. If any woman gives birth below 18 years of age, the baby will be considered proof that the mother married below 18 years of age, and the law can take its own course. He said the provisions against child marriage included in the new law will help the state government in its efforts to curb the practice.

Regarding the controversy related to the Shiksha Setu app, the Chief Minister said that an expert committee comprising IIIT director Sarat Kumar Patra, IIT Guwahati Dean Parmeshwar Iyer, and HOD Department of Computer Science at Cotton University Hiten Choudhury has been constituted to examine any technical issues with the app. The committee has been asked to submit a report by September 1 with their findings and recommendations. The CM also appealed to the teachers to submit their complaints to the committee. “If any anomaly is found in the app, the Education Department will rectify the problem. But we will not compromise with teachers not being present in schools on time, as it is a Fundamental Right of students to have their teacher present in the school on time,” he added.

Speaking on the free kidney dialysis centre, the CM said that the scheme of free kidney dialysis was launched in 2019 at 41 centres in different hospitals. For the first year, a total of 24,000 patients had free dialysis done, but in 2023–24, the number has gone up to 2.21 lakh patients. In the next two months, another 35 centres will be set up in different hospitals in the state to provide the free kidney dialysis service, he said.

 Also Read: 3 new criminal laws: Over 3,500 cops trained in Northeastern states (sentinelassam.com)

Also watch: