Kapil Sibal Says BNS Bill Allows Use Of ‘Draconian Police Powers For Political Ends’

On Saturday, Congress politician and former law minister Kapil Sibal posted on Twitter to voice his displeasure with the new legislation Amit Shah proposed in the Lok Sabha on Friday. The bills are intended to replace the existing Indian Penal Code, CrPC, and Indian Evidence law statutes from the British era.

BNS bill aims to replace IPC

The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Bill, which aims to replace the Indian Penal Code (IPC) from the colonial era, was highlighted by Kapil Sibal in a post on his ‘X’, formerly known as Twitter. The measure, according to Sibal, permits the employment of “draconian police powers for political ends.”

Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita(2023)(BNS)

Allows for using draconian police powers for political ends

BNS :
Allows for police custody from 15 upto 60 or 90 days

New offences for prosecuting persons who threaten the security of state( redefined)

Agenda :
To silence opponents

— Kapil Sibal (@KapilSibal) August 12, 2023

The Centre on Friday filed three proposals to the Lok Sabha to replace the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), and Indian Evidence Act, overhauling the criminal laws and proposing, among other things, the repeal of the sedition statute and the introduction of a new provision with a larger definition of the offense.

The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Bill, 2023, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) Bill, 2023, to replace the Criminal Procedure Code, and the Bharatiya Sakshya (BS) Bill, 2023, to replace the Indian Evidence Act were all introduced by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

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Draconian police powers

Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament Sibal stated in a tweet that “Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (2023) (BNS) allows for using draconian police powers for political ends.”
“BNS: Permits police custody for periods ranging from 15 to 60 or 90 days. Persons who pose a threat to the security of the state may now be charged with new offenses. Agenda: Silencing of critics,” he declared.
The BNS Bill proposes a number of amendments to the current laws, including those dealing to defamation and suicide attempts. It also broadens the definition of offenses against women involving sexual activity when “deceitful means” are used.

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Sanjay Raut, the head of the Shiv Sena (UBT), stated on Saturday that the Centre shouldn’t boast about repealing the sedition law because it is already utilizing laws that are scarier than those the British introduced against its political rivals.