Arunachal Pradesh has announced the adoption of English and Hindi versions for three newly introduced criminal laws, citing the State’s diverse linguistic landscape.
Effective from July 1, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023, Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita 2023, and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam 2023 will replace the longstanding Indian Penal Code 1860, Indian Evidence Act 1872, and the Code of Criminal Procedure 1973 nationwide.
Training sessions are currently underway to educate officials and concerned parties on the implementation of these laws.
However, concerns have been raised regarding the absence of Assamese translations, crucial for the State’s legal and police communities.
Senior advocate Santanu Borthakur of Assam highlighted potential challenges for citizens, who may struggle with understanding the new laws due to language barriers, despite judges and lawyers primarily relying on the original English versions.
