Parliament passes Criminal Procedure Identification Bill
Bill will ensure police, investigators remain two steps ahead of criminals: Shah
New Delhi: Parliament Wednesday passed the Criminal Procedure (Identification) Bill that seeks to allow investigators to collect certain identifiable information of convicts and other persons for purposes of identification and investigation in criminal matters.
The Rajya Sabha passed the bill by a voice vote after Home Minister Amit Shah allayed concerns raised by the opposition which claimed that the draft law was draconian. Earlier, the bill was passed by Lok Sabha.
The Criminal Procedure (Identification) Bill, 2022 replaces the Identification of Prisoners Act, 1920.
Shah said the bill has been brought in to ensure that police and investigators remain two steps ahead of criminals.He said the biometric data of political detainees will not be collected if they have been detained during participation in any agitation.I want to assure that this is not going to violate privacy of anyone, Shah said.He said that the data collected will remain completely secure and the government will make sure there are no loopholes in the bill that can lead to the violation of privacy and human rights.
Parliament passes criminal procedure identification bill, Amit Shah says it will help increase conviction rate for crimesThe Minister said the bill will not compromise the privacy of any individual and that the rules of the Act will be notified after proper scrutiny.
The Minister said the bill will not compromise the privacy of any individual and that the rules of the Act will be notified after proper scrutiny.Shah said the Bill is about safeguarding the “human rights of the victims of crimes, and not just criminals.””Our law is ‘bachha’ (nothing) in terms of strictness as compared to other nations. There are more stringent laws in countries like South Africa, UK, Australia, Canada and the US, which is why their conviction rate is better,” he said.”We do not have the intention of misusing the provisions of the Bill. It is meant to keep our police ahead of criminals.
Next-generation crimes cannot be tackled with old techniques; we have to try to take the criminal justice system to the next era,” he saidHe sought to allay apprehensions voiced by the opposition about the possible misuse of the new legislation.”Best technology will be used for safeguarding data and there will be the training of manpower,” Shah said.The bill provides for legal sanction for taking appropriate body measurements (finger impressions, palm-print and foot-print impressions, photographs, iris and retina scan, physical, and biological samples) of persons who are required to give such measurements to “make the investigation of crime more efficient and expeditious”.It also seeks to empower the National Crime Records Bureau to collect, store and preserve the record of measurements and for sharing, dissemination, destruction and disposal of records. It also empowers a magistrate to direct any person to give measurements and empowers police or prison officers to take measurements of any person who resists or refuses to give measurements.A total of 17 members participated in the debate on the Bill. Some opposition members termed the bill “unconstitutional” and that it should be sent to the select committee. (with inputs from PTI)
