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Only half of Telangana’s police officials have been trained in the new criminal laws introduced via the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). According to data released by the Union government, only 27,747 (52.2%) of the total 53,115 police officers have been trained in the new criminal laws that replaced the earlier Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The data was released during the ongoing monsoon session by Minister of State for Union Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay in response to a question posed by Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge.
While prosecutors, judicial officers and forensic experts in Telangana have been trained completely in the new laws, several police officials remain untrained. Additionally, only 680 out of 1,110 (61%) prison personnel have been trained in BNS.
In comparison, other south Indian states have fared better. Out of 56,773 police officers, Andhra Pradesh has trained 54,764 – a 96.36% rate.
Karnataka has trained 44,860 police officials out of 45,324 (98.97%), Kerala has trained 48,623 out of 52,808 (92.07%), and Tamil Nadu has trained 93,075 out of 1,00,970 officials (92.18%).
The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS), the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS) and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023 (BSA) came into force throughout the country with effect from 1 July 2024, replacing earlier criminal laws.
While police and matters pertaining to public order are subjects that come under the state list, Bandi Sanjay told the Rajya Sabha that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Union government supplemented efforts made by states by providing financial support for augmentation of criminal justice infrastructure under various schemes, including the Inter-Operable Criminal Justice System (ICJS) 2.0, schemes for modernisation of forensic capacities and Nirbhaya fund-supported projects.