GUWAHATI: Assam Police held a workshop on Tuesday, June 26, to discuss about the new laws that are to be implemented soon in India, as notified by the Union Law Minister.
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The new laws, BNS replacing IPC, BNSS replacing CRPC, and BSA replacing IEA, which will come into force on July 1, 2024, will be implemented in Assam as well like the rest of the country. Offences against women and children now have a dedicated chapter in BNS, indicating a shift in priority towards protecting vulnerable citizens. [CHAPTER V BNS]
Following are the new laws for offences against children in comparison to their older laws.
- Hiring Children for Crimes: A new offence category was introduced for hiring, employing, or engaging a child to commit an offence. Punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment. If the child commits the offence, the hirer will also face the same punishment. [SECTION 95 BNS]
- Gender-Neutral Procuration: Procuration of a child for sexual intercourse is now a gender-neutral offence, covering both boys and girls, which was earlier a female only [SECTION 96 BNS]
- Increased Punishment for Child Prostitution: Punishment for buying a child for prostitution has increased which was earlier 10 years. The minimum punishment is now 7 years, with a maximum of up to 14 years. [SECTION 99 BNS]
- Gender-Neutral Importation: Importation of children from foreign countries for sexual intercourse is now a gender-neutral offence, applying to both boys and girls which was female only earlier. [SECTION 141 BNS]
