Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday announced a landmark plan to reform India’s criminal justice system, stating that within the next five years, a system will be established to ensure that justice—from the filing of an FIR to the final verdict by the Supreme Court—is delivered within a span of just three years.
Shah made this announcement while distributing appointment letters to newly recruited police personnel in Lucknow, alongside Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The event marked the culmination of the state’s largest police recruitment drive, which Shah praised for being free from corruption, caste bias, and political influence.
“Now we have three new laws. Within five years, the country will have a system in place where justice—from FIR to Supreme Court—will be delivered within three years,” Shah stated.
He stressed the need for a justice delivery framework grounded in technology and forensic science, adding:
“We must ensure justice using CCTNS, ICJS, and all available forensic science facilities and technologies.”
Criminal Justice System Under New Laws
Shah’s remarks are in line with the ongoing nationwide implementation of three new criminal laws: the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA). These new laws replaced the colonial-era Indian Penal Code, Criminal Procedure Code, and Indian Evidence Act.
The new legal framework is designed to ensure faster, more transparent, and victim-focused criminal trials. Key provisions include:
- Mandatory forensic investigation for serious offences
- Time-bound investigation and trial processes
- Electronic case records and digital transmission of documents
- Streamlined coordination among police, prosecutors, and courts
Transparent and Merit-Based Recruitment
The Home Minister also applauded the Uttar Pradesh police recruitment process, emphasizing that it was conducted without any form of corruption or favoritism.
“There was no money, no recommendation, no caste discrimination—only transparency and merit,” Shah said.
He credited Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for leading one of the most impartial and efficient police recruitment processes in the country.
