The Research and Development Cell (RDC) of Asian Law College (ALC) conducted a Virtual one-week Faculty Development Programme (FDP) titled “New Criminal Laws: Transforming and Revamping the Criminal Justice System” from Monday, 08th July to 15th July 2024. Over 100 participants from various national colleges and members of the legal fraternity attended the FDP.
The first day of the FDP commenced with the inaugural ceremony, which was graced with the presence of Hon’ble Justice Aditya Nath Mittal, Former Chairperson of UP State Commission. (Retd. Judge Allahabad High Court), Prof. (Dr.) Balraj Chauhan, Former Vice Chancellor of DNLU and RMLNLU with Mr. Ashish Bhardwaj, Assistant Dean (ALC), Prof. Dr. Saleem Akhtar, Director (ALC), and all the faculty members and participants. The first session was led by Justice A.N. Mittal provided a comprehensive understanding of Indian values, emphasizing that the new laws replace the colonial-era justice system with one rooted in Indian values. The second session was led by Prof. Balraj Chauhan emphasized that these new laws will significantly transform India’s criminal justice system. He highlighted the need to address new types of crime, such as Intellectual Property Law, Cyber Crime, and Mob Lynching.
The Second day of FDP was held on 09th July 2024, Prof. (Dr.) Jyoti Dogra Sood, a distinguished professor at the Indian Law Institute (ILI) led the session on the theme “Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (India Penal Code)” was conducted. This session focused on the pivotal topic “Key Modifications in Decriminalization of Offences.” Prof. Sood emphasized the distinction between law and justice, illustrating her point with the Bilkis Bano case from the Gujarat riots of 2002.
The third day of FDP on 10th July 2024, Adv. Nar Hari Singh, a distinguished Advocate-On-Record (AOR) at the Supreme Court of India led the session on the theme “Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (Code of Criminal Procedure)”. This session focused on the topic of “Amendments in the Investigation Procedures and Bail Provisions”. Mr. Singh has highlighted crucial victim-centric information and focused on a mandatory time-bound medical investigation that has been implemented to expedite the process further.
On the fourth day of FDP on 11th July 2024, Prof. (Dr.) Nuzhat Praveen Khan, Vice Chancellor, Maharashtra National Law University, Aurangabad led the session on the theme “Bhartiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (Indian Evidence Act)”. The session focused on the Admissibility of Electronic Evidence and Witness in the light of new criminal laws. Dr. Khan elaborated on the New Evidence Act, which promotes various types of forensic evidence. She emphasized on the challenges of the new era. Throughout her lecture, Prof. Nuzhar Khan Nar discussed the importance of electronic evidence.
On Fifth-Day of FDP on 12th July 2024, Prof. Pradeep Kulshrestha, Dean, School of Law, Bennett University, Greater Noida led the session on the theme “Victims: Rehabilitation and Restorative Justice”. This session focused on Rehabilitation and Restorative Justice by exploring new criminal laws. Prof. Kulshrestha discussed the new focus on victim compensation, advocating for the creation of a dedicated fund. He also raised concerns about the increased power of the police and warned about the potential misuse of such power.
On the Sixth-Day of FDP on 13th July 2024, Prof. (Dr.) Mohd. Asad Malik, Professor, Faculty of Law, Jamia Millia Islamia, Delhi led the session on the theme of “Economic offenses in the perspective of New Criminal Laws”. Prof. Malik delved into the provisions concerning cognizable and non-cognizable offenses under the new laws. He articulated how these legislations aim to streamline evidence collection processes and enforce time-bound reporting mechanisms.
On the Seventh Day of FDP on 15th July 2024, the Valedictory session was graced by the presence of Prof. Subhash Chandra Raina, Former Vice Chancellor, HPNLU, Shimla. Mr. Raina, by acknowledging the new criminal laws, discussed the modifications and several errors that are required to be identified and corrected during implementation.
The one-week Faculty Development Program proved to be a fruitful session, significantly enhancing the knowledge of the faculty members regarding the new additions to the laws. Participants appreciated the depth and relevance of the topics covered, as well as the opportunity to engage in meaningful dialogue with peers and industry professionals. The Faculty Development Program was a resounding success, leaving participants with a renewed sense of purpose and a clearer understanding of the evolving legal landscape.
