Chandigarh: With the training of 40, 000 police personnel, including crime investigating officers, Haryana Chief Secretary T.V.S.N. Prasad on Tuesday announced comprehensive awareness programmes across all 378 police stations and prisons on July 1, the day three new criminal laws will come into force.
The initiative aims to educate the public about the new laws -- Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023, Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita 2023, and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam 2023.
At a virtual meeting chaired by the Union Home Secretary to review the readiness of states for the nationwide implementation of the criminal laws, Prasad expressed pride in Haryana's role in this significant reform of the criminal justice system and highlighted the steps taken for the smooth rollout of these laws.
Approximately 40, 000 police personnel, including investigating officers, have been trained. Also, 300 judicial officers of Haryana have received training at the Chandigarh Judicial Academy. Recently, an online training program was conducted for IAS and HCS officers by the Haryana Institute of Public Administration (HIPA) in Gurugram, aimed at familiarising officers with the intricacies of the new laws.
Similar programmes will also be conducted at the divisional level in offline mode, he added.
Prasad emphasised that all jails are equipped with adequate technical infrastructure, including around 300 desktops. In preparation for virtual court proceedings, 149 video conferencing systems have already been installed across jails and court complexes, with an additional 178 systems set to be procured.
He said all jail superintendents have been instructed to launch a special awareness drive targeting prisoners, their relatives and visitors, and jail staff regarding the new criminal laws.
Pocket booklets outlining the new sections and procedures under these laws have been printed for distribution among field staff.