India Enacts New Criminal Laws: Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Sakshya Adhiniyam, Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita

India has enacted new criminal laws—Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, and Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita—replacing British-era statutes to modernize the justice system. Key features include filing F.I.R.s in any police station within the state or union territory where the crime occurred, arrest restrictions for offenses with less than three years of punishment without higher officer approval, and mandatory chargesheet filing within 90 days, extendable by another 90 days. Courts must deliver verdicts within 30 days of trial commencement, and there will be complete video recording of searches and seizures. Automatic bail is granted to undertrials who have served more than half their sentence. Other provisions include a 10-year jail term for hit-and-run cases, community service for petty offenses, and witness protection in sensitive cases. Sexual assault survivors' statements will be recorded at home by a woman magistrate. However, concerns include the potential for misuse of police custody powers, lack of default bail, seizure of digital devices, property attachment deemed as crime proceeds, and broad sedition clauses. The opposition criticized the laws' passage, but the government claims extensive consultations were held.