Amit Shah Reviews Implementation of New Criminal Laws in Northeast

Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired a high-level review meeting in Guwahati on the implementation of the three new criminal laws in the Northeastern states. The meeting, attended by Chief Ministers of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura, and Sikkim, along with the Governor of Manipur, assessed the current status of law enforcement, judiciary, prosecution, and forensic procedures in the region. 

During the meeting, Amit Shah emphasized the need for timely crime registration and a strengthened justice system under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “Under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the Central Government is committed to providing the citizens with a speedy and transparent justice system. It is essential to register crimes without any delay to strengthen law and order,” he stated.

Highlighting the importance of strict implementation, the Home Minister urged the Northeastern states to accelerate efforts to enforce the new legal framework. “Once these laws are fully enforced, there will be a significant transformation in the region's law and order situation, ensuring that justice is delivered by the Supreme Court within three years of an FIR being registered in any case,” he remarked.

Shah also stressed the need to eliminate political interference in cases related to terrorism, mob lynching, and organized crime. He called for comprehensive training of police personnel and said that all North-Eastern states should ensure training of 100% police personnel on the new criminal laws.

In a bid to ensure continuous oversight, the Home Minister requested the Chief Ministers of the Northeastern states to hold monthly review meetings on the implementation progress, while directing the Director Generals of Police and Chief Secretaries to conduct fortnightly reviews. He also underscored the necessity for police stations to function as centers of justice at the grassroots level.

Commending Assam’s efforts, he congratulated the Assam government for ensuring filing of charge sheet within the stipulated time frame of 60-90 days in 66% cases and urged other states to follow this approach. He stressed the need for continuous monitoring of progress in this regard. The Home Minister also emphasized the urgent need for the implementation of e-Sakshya. He stated that until there are sufficient scientific officers, it will not be possible to file fully satisfactory charge sheets from a forensic science perspective. 

Encouraging the use of the “Trial in Absentia” provision, the Home Minister said it would help bring fugitive criminals back to India. He further pointed out that strengthening the role of the Director of Prosecution would be instrumental in ensuring justice.

During the event, Shri Amit Shah also unveiled the book New Criminal Laws: Standard Operating Procedures and Rules, prepared by CID, Assam, as a guide for law enforcement agencies. Senior officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs, including the Union Home Secretary, Chief Secretaries, Director Generals of Police, the Director General of the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD), and the Director of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), were also present in the meeting.