Tripura CM Stresses Mass Awareness Drive on New Criminal Laws; Urges Citizen-Centric Campaigns Beyond Urban Areas
By Our Correspondent
Agartala, July 20, 2025
In light of the changing times and the implementation of three new Indian criminal justice codes, Tripura Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha has once again directed top state officials to launch widespread awareness campaigns for all citizens. Addressing a special awareness meeting held this morning at Pragya Bhavan in Agartala, in presence of Chief Secretary JK Sinha and Director General of Police Anurag Dhankar, the Chief Minister emphasized the urgent need to educate the public about the provisions of the newly introduced laws.
The new criminal laws, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA), along with the amended NDPS Act, came into effect across the country from July 1, 2024, replacing the colonial-era Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), and the Indian Evidence Act.
Dr. Saha said these modern, time-bound, and technology-driven legal frameworks aim to ensure the right to justice in a more efficient and citizen-friendly manner. He highlighted the pivotal role being played by the State Home Department in implementing these laws in Tripura.
Expressing his gratitude to the organizers of today’s workshop held under the initiative of the Home Department, Dr. Saha also called for similar awareness camps to be organized for the general public, especially in rural areas.
However, concerns remain about the lack of outreach to rural populations. Since the nationwide rollout of the new laws on July 1, 2024 there has been no significant effort from state departments to organize public awareness camps in Tripura’s villages. While a few seminars have been conducted for officers and advocates, the administration appears to consider these token efforts sufficient. Even the State Legal Services Authority, which is responsible for organizing such awareness initiatives, has largely confined its activities to urban centres.
Dr. Saha’s latest directive is being seen as a timely push to bridge this rural-urban gap and ensure that every citizen of Tripura, regardless of location, understands their rights and duties under the new legal system.
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