September 20, 2024
September 20, 2024
ITANAGAR, Jun 30: Arunachal Pradesh will use the English and Hindi versions of the three new criminal laws since the state's people speak in "innumerable" dialects, an official said on Friday.
Officials and other people concerned are being trained on the new laws in English and Hindi, he said.
English is the official language of the northeastern state.
From July 1, three new criminal laws, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023, Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita 2023 and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam 2023, will come into effect across the country. These laws will replace the Indian Penal Code 1860, Indian Evidence Act 1872 and the Code of Criminal Procedure 1973.
"We will use the English and Hindi versions (of the three laws). They are not being translated into any local language. We have 26 major and over 100 sub-tribes," the official said.
He said all investigating officers in the northeastern state are being imparted training on the laws in all 27 districts in English and Hindi for the last two months.
According to the website of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region, 30-50 distinct languages/dialects are in use in Arunachal Pradesh. Besides, there are "innumerable dialects and sub-dialects".
Earlier, Karma Leki, Joint Secretary, Home department, in a communique, informed that extensive preparations have been made to ensure a seamless transition. Significant strides have been made in capacity building and comprehensive training of all pillars of the criminal justice system.
For the successful implementation of these laws, and for smooth transition and effective administration of justice under the new legal framework, the state Law department in collaboration with North Eastern Judicial Officer's Training Institute (NEJOTI), Guwahati will impart intensive training on the three New Criminal laws to the public prosecutors of the State. Under the Directorate of Prosecution, once it is established, the Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh intends to create various categories of posts to ensure its smooth functioning.
The focus has been on creating master trainers who can further disseminate knowledge within their respective units. A total of 39 Sub-Inspectors (51s) and Inspectors have been trained as master trainers through a Training of Trainers program. Further, each district now has a Master Trainer to assist police officers in clarifying doubts about the new laws.
Significant efforts have also been made in the integration and testing of the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems (CCTNS). Patches issued by the NCRB have been tested and the FIRs will be drawn in CCTNS enabled with new criminal laws.
Additionally, the e-Sakshya App has been launched by the MHA/NCRB for recording of evidence at crime scenes, search and seizure videography, and search by police officer videography.
Hands-on training for CCTNS operators has been completed for a total of 184 operators in multiple batches, ensuring that the system is fully operational by the implementation date. The forensic capabilities of the state are being enhanced with a proposal for 5 Mobile Forensic Vans and 25 qualified scientific staff to cover all districts. It is expected to take 6-12 months for full implementation.
In the interim, existing methods of evidence collection will continue. Additionally, a proposal for the creation of a full-fledged Directorate of State Forensic Science Laboratory with 46 new posts, is also under process.
