Tamil Nadu: DMK Govt Forms Committee To Study New Criminal Laws

Taking the first step to effect Tamil Nadu-specific amendments to the new criminal laws, Chief Minister M K Stalin on Monday ordered setting up of a one-man committee, to be led by a retired High Court judge, to study the three laws and make recommendations to the state government over making amendments.

After chairing a high-level consultative meeting at the Secretariat here to deliberate on state amendments to the Central laws, Stalin directed officials to set up a one-man panel to be led by retired judge of the Madras High Court, Justice M Sathyanarayanan.

The panel would study the new laws to propose amendments including 'state-level name change' for the three laws.

"This committee will clearly examine the new laws, hold consultations with stakeholders including advocates at the state-level and submit a report (on state-level amendments) within one month to the state government," an official release here said.

Advocate-General P S Raman, state public prosecutor Hasan Mohamed Jinnah, Water Resources Minister Duraimurugan, Chief Secretary Shiv Das Meena, Director General of Police Shankar Jiwal, top officials and Rajya Sabha MPs, P Wilson and NR Elango (both senior advocates) took part in the meeting.

The government said the names for the new laws (the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023) are in Sanskrit which goes against the Constitution. Also, no proper debate was held in the Parliament and the opinions of state governments were not taken. The laws were adopted and enforced in haste leading to nation-wide opposition and protests.

The government recalled Stalin writing to Union Home Minister Amit Shah on June 17, 2024 on 'issues' in the new laws and urging the Centre to defer enforcing the three laws.

It was pointed out by the Chief Minister that there were 'flaws' in some basic sections. Also, the views of the state governments were not fully obtained by the Union government in this regard, the Chief Minister had conveyed to the Centre, the government said.