New Criminal Laws Set Three-Year Justice Timeline, Says Amit Shah

Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said India’s criminal justice system would be transformed by the full implementation of the new criminal laws, claiming that cases could be disposed of within three years from the filing of an FIR to the Supreme Court once the new framework becomes fully operational.

Shah made the remarks at the state-level Gopalak Sammelan in Bhopal, where he also inaugurated an exhibition showcasing the implementation of the new criminal laws in Madhya Pradesh. He said the reforms would place justice and citizens’ dignity at the centre of the criminal justice system, rather than punishment. He also said the colonial-era laws were designed to protect British rule, while the new framework was intended to protect Indian citizens.

The reform comprises three laws — the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), replacing the IPC; the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), replacing the CrPC; and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA), replacing the Evidence Act. The laws came into force on July 1, 2024, introducing greater use of digital procedures, electronic evidence, Zero FIR provisions and forensic investigation.

Shah’s three-year projection comes amid a substantial judicial backlog. As of December 31, 2025, India had 92,118 cases pending in the Supreme Court, 63.71 lakh in High Courts and 4.43 crore in district and subordinate courts. The government has expanded digital infrastructure under e-Courts Phase III, backed by ₹7,210 crore. More than 1.21 crore cases have been filed electronically, 4.15 crore video-conference hearings conducted and over 734 crore pages of court records digitised.

Turning to the dairy sector, Shah said the Ministry of Cooperation would particularly benefit cattle rearers. Under White Revolution 2.0, cooperative milk procurement is targeted to reach 1,007 lakh kg per day by 2028-29, with plans to establish 75,000 new dairy cooperative societies.

India’s milk production reached 247.87 million tonnes in 2024-25, compared with 239.30 million tonnes in 2023-24, while per-capita availability rose to 485 grams a day. Government programmes are using genetic technologies, artificial insemination and disease-control measures to improve cattle productivity and health.

In Madhya Pradesh, a ₹255-crore milk-processing plant in Ujjain, with a capacity of three lakh litres per day, is among the projects being developed alongside new processing and laboratory facilities in Bhopal and Shivpuri.

Shah also criticised the Congress over the creation of the Cooperation Ministry and reiterated the government’s 2047 development goal, saying India should become a leading global power across sectors by the centenary of Independence.