Parliamentary Committee Recommends Amendments to BNSS-2023 for Differentiating Arrest Protocols

New Delhi: The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs, led by BJP MP Brijlal, has recommended changes to the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS-2023) bill, introduced in the Lok Sabha on August 11. The committee suggests that individuals arrested for economic offences should not be handcuffed alongside those accused of heinous crimes like rape and murder. Clause 43(3) of the BNSS, outlining the use of handcuffs, is advised to be amended to exclude “economic offences” from its scope due to the broad spectrum these offenses cover.

Moreover, the committee addresses concerns about police custody duration outlined in Clause 187(2) of the BNSS. It proposes a clearer interpretation of the clause and recommends adding the phrase “the accused may be required for police custody beyond the first fifteen days” in Clause 482 of the BNSS.

These recommendations aim to refine the proposed laws—BNSS-2023, BNS-2023, and BSA-2023—which intend to replace existing criminal procedure, penal, and evidence acts. The committee’s reports were submitted to the Rajya Sabha on Friday, emphasizing the need for balanced measures in law enforcement.