Lok Sabha Debates
Need To Amend The Indian Evidence Act And The Criminal Procedure Code In View Of The ... on 10 March, 2006
an> Title : Need to amend the Indian Evidence Act and the Criminal Procedure Code in view of the recent judgement of Supreme Court in Best Bakery Case.
SHRI VARKALA RADHAKRISHNAN(CHIRAYINKIL) : Sir, the judgement of the Supreme Court in the Best Bakery case pronounced yesterday is a landmark judgement and an eye-opener. I would like to request the Central Government to proceed in the matter. Our criminal administration requires drastic changes.
We have been talking about the changes for a long time and many Commissions who have been entrusted with this work have submitted their report. But they have not been looked into so far. Our crime conviction is far below when compared with other Western countries. So, our system of investigation is lagging far behind in the modern times. It is high time to make necessary changes first in the Evidence Act. The Evidence Act is outdated. So, we have to change it according to modern conditions and to suit the modern conveniences also. So also is the case of Criminal Procedure Code which requires drastic changes. I would refer to one Section. I am a lawyer for over half a century. Section 162 is about an unsigned statement in the process of investigation. We always find the witness turning hostile. On that basis, so many criminal offences and heinous crimes are acquitted like the Jessica Lal case and the Best Bakery Case. All these are examples which show that there is something fundamentally wrong with our criminal investigation.
I request the Central Government to come forward with concrete proposals for amending the Evidence Act as well as the Criminal Procedure Code in the matter of criminal investigation. I request the Government to consider the matter seriously.