India proposes sweeping overhaul of British-era criminal laws

India proposes sweeping overhaul of British-era criminal laws

NEW DELHI: India government unveiled new punishments for mob lynchings and crimes against women on Friday in a proposal for the country biggest criminal justice overhaul since the British colonial era.
India Penal Code and other statutes governing the police and courts were introduced in the 19th century, while the country was governed by the British crown.
Sweeping changes to the laws would remove archaic references to the British monarchy and other "signs of our slavery", home minister Amit Shah told parliament Friday.
"These laws were made to strengthen the colonial rule, to protect colonial rulers, and the intention was to punish and not give justice," he told lawmakers while introducing bills for the reforms.
"We are going to change this and the spirit of these new laws will be to protect the constitutional rights of our citizens."
New provisions in the laws would impose the death penalty on perpetrators of mob lynchings and minimum sentences of 20 years for gang rape.