Chhattisgarh Steps Up Implementation of New Criminal Laws, Vijay Sharma Calls for Faster Digital Justice

Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister Vijay Sharma chairs a high-level review meeting on the implementation of the new criminal laws at Police Headquarters, Nava Raipur, on Monday, September 7, 2026, as senior police and government officials attend-Photo Credit:primelookindia.com via CG/DPR

Home Minister directs officials to accelerate online transmission of FIRs and chargesheets, expand e-Sakshya and NAFIS use and strengthen e-Summons as State improves its position on the national implementation dashboard

Raipur: Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister Vijay Sharma on Monday, September 7, 2026 directed police and other departments concerned to accelerate the implementation of India’s new criminal laws, with particular emphasis on using technology to make investigation, prosecution and court processes faster and more transparent.

Chairing a high-level review meeting at the Police Headquarters in Nava Raipur, Sharma examined Chhattisgarh’s performance on the Union Home Ministry’s National Criminal Laws Implementation (NCLI) Dashboard and called for measurable improvement across every parameter.

He expressed satisfaction over the State’s improved position on the dashboard, particularly the progress recorded since July, but told officials that the momentum should be maintained.

“The objective of the new criminal laws is to make the justice process faster, more transparent and technology-based. All necessary arrangements must therefore be completed within the prescribed timeframe,” Sharma said.

Focus on Digital Journey from FIR to Court

A major focus of the meeting was reducing the time taken between registration of an FIR, investigation, filing of a chargesheet and subsequent court proceedings.

Sharma directed officials to complete arrangements for the electronic transmission of FIRs and chargesheets to courts, saying that greater digital integration could reduce delays between investigation and trial.

He also sought wider implementation of the National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS) and e-Sakshya, directing that police stations be made technically and operationally equipped for their effective use.

The Home Minister stressed that an e-Summons should not merely be generated digitally; its timely service must also be ensured. Similarly, the system for submitting chargesheets electronically to courts within the stipulated period should be strengthened.

“Improvement must be visible on every parameter. Technology should translate into greater efficiency at the field level and ultimately benefit citizens,” he said.

Pending Administrative Measures to Be Completed

Reviewing administrative preparedness, Sharma directed departments to expedite pending notifications and procedural arrangements necessary for implementation of the new criminal-law framework.

Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister Vijay Sharma, along with senior police, Home Department, NCRB, BPR&D and other officials, reviews Chhattisgarh’s progress on the implementation of the new criminal laws at Police Headquarters in Nava Raipur on Monday, September 7, 2026 -Photo Credit:primelookindia.com via CG/DPR

He underlined that technological infrastructure alone would not be sufficient. Police personnel, prosecution officials and other employees involved in the criminal justice system must also possess the skills required to operate the new systems effectively.

The meeting examined State-level difficulties in implementing the new laws as well as issues relating to the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS) and the Inter-Operable Criminal Justice System (ICJS).

Officials from the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D), National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) and National Informatics Centre (NIC) participated in discussions on technical and procedural solutions.

Sharma directed officials to coordinate with Central agencies wherever assistance or technological intervention from the Union level was required.

National Dashboard Tracking Implementation

The NCLI Dashboard, operated by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, provides a centralised mechanism for monitoring implementation of the country’s three new criminal laws — the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam.

The review assumes significance as States increasingly integrate police investigation, forensic and evidentiary processes, prosecution and courts through digital systems envisaged under the new legal framework.

Senior officials attending the meeting included NCRB Director General Amit Garg, BPR&D Director General Alok Mittal, Principal Secretary (Home) Niharika Barik, Home Secretaries Neha Champawat and Himshikhar Gupta, Director General of Police Arun Dev Gautam, Director General (Prisons) Himanshu Gupta, Director of Prosecution Pradeep Gupta, Additional Director General of Police Vivekanand Sinha and Anil Kishore Yadav of CAPT Bhopal.

Divisional Inspectors General of Police, district Superintendents of Police, medico-legal nodal officers of the Health Department and prosecution officials joined through video conference, along with NCRB and NIC officials from Delhi.