Siliguri, August 21, 2026: Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah on Friday inaugurated a six-day public awareness exhibition on India’s three new criminal laws at Kawakhali Ground in Siliguri, West Bengal. The exhibition, titled “Five Pillars: Transformed Justice System”, has been organised to familiarise citizens, students and legal professionals with the changes introduced in India’s criminal justice framework.
The three new criminal laws — the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) — came into force on July 1, 2024, replacing the Indian Penal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure and the Indian Evidence Act respectively.
Addressing a gathering at the exhibition, Shri Amit Shah said the new laws are intended to make India’s criminal justice system more modern, technology-driven and focused on timely delivery of justice. He highlighted Technology, Transparency and Timeline as important elements of the transformed system. He also said that the new framework provides mechanisms such as Zero FIR and aims to accelerate the investigation and trial process.
The Home Minister said the new criminal laws would strengthen citizens’ rights and contribute to a system based on the rule of law. According to the government’s stated objective, the reforms seek to make criminal justice more accessible, transparent and responsive to the needs of ordinary citizens.
The exhibition is designed particularly to create awareness among the younger generation. A large number of college and university students, law students and citizens attended the programme, where the provisions and objectives of the new laws were presented through displays and explanatory material. The exhibition is scheduled to remain open until August 26.
Shah also used the occasion to discuss broader issues of governance and internal security in West Bengal. He reiterated the government’s position on combating illegal infiltration and emphasised the importance of strengthening security in the strategically vital Siliguri Corridor, popularly known as the “Chicken’s Neck”. The corridor connects the rest of India with the northeastern states and lies close to the international borders with Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh.
During his Siliguri visit, the Home Minister also inaugurated and laid foundation stones for several infrastructure projects of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and interacted with its personnel. Projects involving approximately ₹179 crore were highlighted during the SSB programme.
The programme in Siliguri therefore combined two major themes of the Union government’s agenda — modernisation of the criminal justice system and strengthening national security. Through the legal awareness exhibition, the government is seeking to explain the practical implications of the new laws and encourage citizens to understand their rights and responsibilities under the reformed criminal justice system.
