New criminal laws ensure transparency, citizen-friendly reforms: CM

Chief Minister Prof. (Dr.) Manik Saha Wednesday said that the three new criminal laws will be of great use in the judicial process in the future and that Tripura is the only state in the country to have organized an exhibition on the new criminal laws.

He said that citizens have already benefited greatly from the implementation of these three new criminal laws.

Dr Saha said this while inaugurating a state-level exhibition on the new criminal laws at the Indoor Exhibition Hall in Agartala on Wednesday.

At the event, Dr Saha, who is also the Home Minister of the state, said that if work is not done on time, if justice is not delivered on time, people lose faith in the legal system.

 “Under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, these groundbreaking laws were brought before us on July 1, 2024. The bills were also passed in Parliament. An important discussion was held in Guwahati in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah. After the bills were passed, the issue of their implementation also became very important. As the Chief Minister, I, along with the Chief Secretary and the DGP, was present in that meeting. There, the Union Home Minister asked what effective measures had been taken regarding the new criminal laws, and all the information was presented from our side,” he said.

The Chief Minister said Tripura is at the forefront in many ways.

 “Today, an exhibition has been arranged here on the three new criminal laws. In this regard, Tripura is the only state where such an arrangement has been made. At the all-India level, Tripura ranks first or second on many parameters. In the state, from officials to common citizens, everyone is aware of important issues. A lot of work is being done in this direction. We are also maintaining our good name at the national level and are honored on various occasions. Basically, this five-day exhibition has been organized to give people a detailed idea of what these three new criminal laws entail,” said Dr Saha.

In his address, the Chief Minister also said that reforms are now being carried out in all sectors.

 “Deregulation is taking place. The previous governments did not take any initiative to change the colonial laws that have remained since the British era. That is what the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is now doing. The state government is also working in this direction. We have passed many deregulations in the cabinet, and citizen-friendly laws have been implemented,” he said.

Dr Saha added that the changes made in the new criminal laws have made processes easier and more effective.

 “It has also been stipulated that a person can submit a report electronically without physically attending a police station. This will ensure both transparency and speed. Now, through Zero FIR, any citizen can file a complaint from anywhere. In addition, if any person is arrested, he can inform his closest or known person, if necessary. The forensic team plays a particularly important role in investigating various incidents or crimes. In the new criminal laws, priority has been given to cases concerning women and children. It has been mandated that the investigation process must be completed within two months. Arrangements have also been made for free treatment in hospitals for women and children who are victims of crime,” he said.

MLA Mina Rani Sarkar, Chief Secretary J.K. Sinha, DGP Anurag, Home Department Secretary Abhishek Singh, Additional Director General M. Raja Murugan, G.S. Rao, and other senior officials were present as distinguished guests at the event.