Nagpur/New Delhi: Responding to Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s call for swift implementation of the three new criminal laws, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday announced that the State would completely roll out the new legal framework within six months.
Chairing a review meeting on the new criminal laws’ implementation in Maharashtra, Shah emphasized the need for a Directorate of Prosecution, aligning with the revised legal provisions. He stressed efforts to achieve a 90% conviction rate in cases carrying sentences of over seven years.
The Home Minister also instructed senior police officials to closely monitor cases related to organised crime, terrorism, and mob lynching to prevent misuse of the law. Additionally, he underscored the necessity of video conferencing for evidence recording in prisons, government hospitals, banks, and Forensic Science Laboratories (FSLs).
Shah called for seamless interstate FIR transfers through the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS) and urged Maharashtra to upgrade to CCTNS 2.0 and ICJS 2.0 for enhanced digital case management.
Fadnavis, briefing reporters after the meeting, highlighted Maharashtra’s progress in forensic and digital infrastructure. “We have deployed 27 forensic vans to support investigations in cases older than seven years. Additionally, video conferencing will replace repeated court appearances for accused individuals,” he said.
He further revealed that 90% of the state’s police force has already been trained under the new laws. The state has also initiated online systems for courts but will now set up dedicated forensic cubicles in courts and labs, in compliance with new legal mandates.
Complete implementation in six months
Assuring full-scale execution of the legal transition, Fadnavis stated, “We have begun work on these reforms, and they will be fully operational in the next six months.”