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The Ministry of Law and Justice on April 7, 2022, informed the Rajya Sabha that it has initiated comprehensive amendments to the criminal laws i.e. Indian Penal Code (IPC) 1860, the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) 1973, and the Indian Evidence Act (IEA) 1872 after extensive consultation and research with all stakeholders.

The Ministry has initiated the process with the view to make comprehensive changes in the criminal laws of the country, providing affordable and speedy justice to all, and creating a people-centric legal structure.

Notably, the Lok Sabha on April 4^th passed the Criminal Procedure (Identification) Bill, 2022 which makes provisions for the investigating officers to collect the biometric detail.

The Union Law Minister, Kiren Rijiju had provided the information in response to an array of questions put up by MP Binoy Viswam regarding the Criminal Law Reforms Committee.

In response, the Ministry informed that a Criminal Law Reforms Committee, under the Chairpersonship of Prof.(Dr.) Ranbir Singh, Vice-Chancellor, National Law University, Delhi, and four other members had been constituted on March 2, 2020, to suggest reforms in the criminal laws of the country.

The Committee invited suggestions through a questionnaire based on secondary research and inputs from experts uploaded on its website which received responses from various organizations, research centers, academics, lawyers, and civil societies from across the country.

The Centre has also informed the Rajya Sabha that the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs in its 146^th report 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 111^th and 128^th reports had also stressed the need to reform and rationalize the criminal law of the country by introducing comprehensive legislation in Parliament rather than bringing about piecemeal amendments in respective Acts.

Importantly, the Ministry of Home Affairs has also sought suggestions from governors, Chief Ministers, Lt. Governors and Administrators of Union Territories, Chief Justice of India, Chief Justices of various High courts, Bar Council of India, bar council of various States, various Universities/ Law Institutes and all Members of Parliament regarding comprehensive amendments in criminal laws.