Criminal Procedure (Identification) Act 2022: How it empowers the police further

New Delhi, Aug 04: The Criminal Procedure (Identification) Act 2022 will come into force starting today, August 4.

The Bill empowers the police to collect finger impressions, palm print impression, footprint impression, iris and retina scan, footprint impressions, physical, biological samples and their analysis, behavioural attributes including signatures, handwriting or any other examination.

The existing law allows the police only to take finger and footprint impression. As per the provisions of the new Bill any person convicted, arrested or detained under any preventive detention law will be required to provide the above mentioned measurements to the police or a prison official.

In March Union Home Minister Amit Shah tabled the Bill in Parliament. The Bill is aimed at authorising the police to take measurements of convicts and other persons for the purpose of identification and investigations in criminal matters apart from preserving records.

The Bill which became an Act repealed the existing The Identification of Prisoners Act, 1920.