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            This Bill was introduced by the then Deputy Prime Minister Shri L.K. Advani on 22nd August, 2003. It was then referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on 18th September, 2003. After having 14 sittings, the final Report was prepared on 18th February, 2005. The Report was laid on the Table of both the Houses of Parliament on 2nd March, 2005. The Rajya Sabha passed this Bill on 13th December, 2005. Originally, the amendments were proposed in Sections 161 and 162 and 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code. There was an amendment under Section 344. The proposed amendments under Sections 161, 162, 164 and 344 were opposed by so many lawyers of this country. The Bar Council of India and the various State Bar Councils including the Tamil Nadu Bar Council had also opposed it. The Standing Committee of Parliament had also opposed the proposed amendments. I, on behalf of the Tamil Nadu Bar Council and on my own behalf, have submitted a Memorandum to the hon. Minister. I am very much thankful to the hon. Home Minister for safeguarding the interests of the litigants and the interests of the poor claimants in the criminal courts. The proposed amendments, as suggested by the previous Government, talk about taking signature from the witness under sections 162 CrPC and Section 164 Cr. PC talks about recording the statement of the material witness by the magistrates for the offences punishable with seven years imprisonment or more even death penalty. These were affecting the interests of the poor litigants. These provisions were removed. I personally and also on behalf of the lawyers of this country thanking the Home Minister for removal of these anti-public amendments.