Amit Shah Reviews Implementation of New Criminal Laws in Uttar Pradesh: Focus on Speedy Justice and Technology Integration.
New Delhi:
Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Amit Shah, held a high-level review meeting with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Yogi Adityanath, on Tuesday in New Delhi to assess the progress of implementing three new criminal laws in the state.
The meeting focused on the integration of new provisions related to police, prisons, courts, prosecution, and forensics, as well as the overall implementation strategy. Senior officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), including Union Home Secretary, Director General of the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D), and Director General of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), were also present.
During the review, Amit Shah emphasized that the three new criminal laws introduced by the Narendra Modi government are designed to be victim-centric rather than punishment-oriented. The laws aim to expedite the delivery of justice, ensuring that victims receive timely and efficient legal processes. He called for accelerated implementation of these laws, urging Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to review the progress in February and to ensure their complete adoption across Uttar Pradesh as soon as possible.
In line with this, the Union Home Minister set a clear target for the state: 100 percent implementation of the new criminal laws must be achieved across all seven commissionerates of Uttar Pradesh by March 31, 2025. The goal is to extend the full implementation to the entire state at the earliest.
Amit Shah also highlighted the importance of leveraging technology in criminal investigations, especially in a state as large and populous as Uttar Pradesh. He recommended that every district be equipped with more than one forensic mobile van, facilitating quicker and more efficient investigations. To optimize the use of resources, he proposed the creation of three distinct forensic teams – categorized as serious, common, and very common – to prioritize urgent cases and allocate experts based on the severity of the crime.
Another critical point raised by the Home Minister was the need for regular monitoring of the Zero FIRs (First Information Reports), which are registered without being tied to a specific police jurisdiction. Amit Shah instructed that the transfer rate of these Zero FIRs to the respective states be carefully tracked to ensure timely and effective investigation.
To keep the implementation process on track, the Home Minister suggested that Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath personally review the progress of these criminal laws every 15 days. Additionally, the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police (DGP) are to conduct weekly reviews with officials from all relevant departments.
This comprehensive review marks a significant step in ensuring that Uttar Pradesh aligns with the central government’s vision of modernizing criminal justice systems and making them more efficient, victim-focused, and technology-driven. With the deadline for full implementation set for March 2025, all eyes will be on the state’s progress in bringing about these much-needed reforms.
