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New Criminal Laws to Target Faster Justice, 25% Rise in Conviction Rate.
New Delhi, August 25 (PMI): Union Home Minister Amit Shah has set a one-year deadline for the complete implementation of India’s three new criminal laws, saying the move is aimed at ensuring the disposal of criminal cases up to the Supreme Court within three years and increasing the conviction rate by 25 per cent.
Shah made the remarks while addressing the valedictory session of the two-day ninth National Security Strategies (NSS) Conference-2026 organised by the Intelligence Bureau, which concluded in New Delhi on Tuesday.
The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) came into force on July 1, 2024, replacing the British-era Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure and Indian Evidence Act.
“There will be 100 per cent implementation of the three new laws in the next one year,” Shah said, adding that this would help ensure criminal cases are disposed of up to the Supreme Court within three years and increase the conviction rate by 25 per cent.
The Home Minister stressed the importance of integrating data from the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS), Inter-Operable Criminal Justice System (ICJS), NATGRID and National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS).
He urged young police and security officers to use data integration, analysis and artificial intelligence to develop actionable intelligence, identify criminal modus operandi and anticipate emerging security threats.
Focus on Emerging Security Challenges
Shah said the National Security Strategies platform should look 15 to 20 years ahead and formulate strategies to prevent potential security challenges from developing into major threats.
He claimed that the government had succeeded in addressing three major internal-security challenges—Naxalism, terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir and insurgency in the Northeast—and credited the police forces of the states, central agencies and Central Armed Police Forces for the achievement.
He said that if previous governments had anticipated challenges such as narcotics, Naxalism and insurgency in the Northeast before they became serious problems, the country could have avoided dealing with their consequences for decades.
Shah cited the banning of the Popular Front of India (PFI) and the dismantling of its network as an example of effective Centre-state coordination.
Border Security and Infiltration
The Home Minister said he had visited all states sharing land borders with other countries during the past eight months and discussed a four-pronged approach to strengthening border security.
He said the government’s objective was to make the country free from illegal infiltration at the earliest.
Describing infiltration as a threat to national security, the economy and demographic stability, Shah stressed that only Indian citizens have the right to live in the country.
Stronger Anti-Terror Strategy
On terrorism, Shah called for effective implementation of the PRAHAR document and urged security agencies to dismantle terrorist networks comprehensively.
He said strong internal security was essential for achieving Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a developed India by 2047.
“Whenever a country decides to move forward, challenges inevitably emerge both from within the country and from across the world. We must visualise these challenges in advance,” he said.
Three-Pronged Fight Against Narcotics
Shah directed police forces across the country to implement the Narcotics Control Vision Document 2026-2029 to protect the younger generation from drug abuse.
He advocated a three-pronged strategy of “Detect, Disrupt and Destroy” to achieve the goal of a drug-free India.
He said the Centre and state governments, along with their various departments, would have to work together to combat the narcotics threat.
Fugitive Offenders and Multi-Agency Coordination
Shah said the government had strengthened its system for dealing with fugitives and claimed that around 274 fugitives had been brought back to India from abroad between 2019 and 2026.
He urged states to set targets for bringing fugitives living abroad back under the jurisdiction of Indian law.
He also said the Multi Agency Centre (MAC) had been upgraded to provide a platform capable of generating multidimensional intelligence and facilitating better coordination among security agencies.
Cybercrime and Global Instability
The Home Minister said national security policies could no longer be formulated in isolation and must take into account global instability, energy and resource insecurity, supply-chain disruptions, radicalisation and cyber-enabled misinformation warfare.
He called for early identification of emerging threats so they could be neutralised before turning into major challenges.
“By creating such an ecosystem, we will be able to create a secure, infiltrator-free and narcotics-free India,” Shah said.
The conference was held in hybrid mode and attended by around 850 senior security and police officers from across the country. Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, Intelligence Bureau Director Mahesh Dixit, CBI Director Praveen Sood and Research and Analysis Wing Secretary Parag Jain were among those present.
According to the Union Home Ministry, the first day of the conference focused on counter-terrorism challenges, intelligence fusion and analysis through the Multi Agency Centre, narcotics control, detection and deportation of illegal migrants, cybercrime and Pakistan-linked proxy warfare.
The NSS Conference has been conducted annually in hybrid mode since 2021 on the directions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Its objective is to find practical solutions to major national-security challenges by bringing together the experience of officers working at the grassroots level and the expertise of specialists from different fields. (pressmediaofindia.com)
