Indian criminal law
Indian criminal law is the law relating to criminal conduct in India.
History
Indian Criminal Laws are divided into three major acts i.e. Indian Penal Code, 1860,[1] Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973[2] and Indian Evidence Act, 1872.[3] Besides these major acts, special Criminal Laws are also passed by Indian Parliament i.e. NDPS, Prevention of Corruption Act, Food Adulteration Act, Dowry Prevention Act,the Defence of India Act,etc. thousands of minor laws are made in India.
Indian Penal Code formulated by the British during the British Raj in 1860, forms the backbone of criminal law in India. Jury trials were abolished by the government in 1960 on the grounds they would be susceptible to media and public influence. This decision was based on an 8-1 acquittal of Kawas Nanavati in K. M. Nanavati vs. State of Maharashtra, which was overturned by higher courts.
Indian Penal Code(IPC) was passed under the chairmanship of Lord Macaulay and was enforced in 1862, Lord Macaulay issued clarification for the people of India for implementation of this Code, because people were of the view that rule of Capital Punishment will be misused against them. Further more people were against foreign rule on Indian people.
References
- Kelkars, R.V. (2014). R.V. Kelkar's Criminal Procedure (6th ed.). Lucknow: Eastern Book Company. ISBN 978-93-5145-228-7.