Madras High Court Issues Notice to Centre Over DMK's Plea Against New Criminal Laws

The Madras High Court has issued a notice to the Centre in response to a plea by the DMK, challenging the constitutionality of three new criminal laws introduced by the Union government. These laws, effective since July 1, replace older legal codes but allegedly cause confusion without substantive changes.

The Madras High Court has ordered a notice to the Centre following a petition from the DMK, questioning the constitutional validity of three new criminal laws enacted by the Union government.

Effective from July 1, the three laws—Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam—replace the Indian Penal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure, and the Indian Evidence Act respectively. The petition, filed by DMK Organising Secretary R S Bharathi, claims these laws were passed without meaningful discussion in Parliament.

Bharathi argues that the mere reorganization of sections, without significant changes, will cause confusion among judges, advocates, and the public. He further alleges that the renaming of these Acts in Hindi/Sanskrit violates Article 348 of the Constitution, which mandates that authoritative text in Parliament be in English.