New Delhi | As the three new criminal laws came into force, a central control room has been made operational at the headquarters of the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD) here to resolve issues of various state/UT police departments and judicial officers, officials said on Monday.
The BPRD is a central police think tank mandated to frame policies for betterment of policing in the country. It functions under the ministry of home affairs (MHA).
The Bureau has been designated as the nodal department for preparation and implementation of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA).
"The central control room at BPRD has been operational for quite some time and it has been guiding various states, Union Territories and central police organisations for the nation-wide roll out of the three criminal laws.
"From Monday, it has acquired the role of thrashing out glitches, providing ready reckoner services and corresponding section tables between the three old and new laws apart from necessary guidance to the police units across the country who are registering FIRs," a senior officer told PTI.
The control room has technical and legal experts drawn from the BPRD, police and legal institutions and even the ministers of state for home in the MHA are taking review at this control room, the officer said.
Another officer said the states and UTs have also been asked to share good practices being used or unique issues being encountered, through this control room, by them while implementing the three laws so that it can be shared with all the stakeholders.
The control room is also working to circulate standard operating procedures (SOPs), frequently asked questions (FAQs) and model guidelines and orders with the agencies concerned, the second officer said.
The control room will be operational for about a month initially but its work can be extended if required, he said.
The BNS, the BNSS and the BSA replace the British-era Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure and the Indian Evidence Act, respectively.
From Monday, all fresh FIRs will be registered under the BNS.
Cases filed till June 30 will continue to be tried under the old laws till their final disposal.
