Balancing Justice and Reform: The BNSS in Criminal Procedure

The Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), introduced as part of a comprehensive overhaul of India's colonial-era criminal laws, aims to modernize and humanize the criminal justice process. This research paper explores how the BNSS seeks to balance the imperatives of justice, efficiency, and individual rights. By critically analyzing key reforms within the BNSS in the context of criminal procedure, the paper examines their potential to enhance the effectiveness of the justice system while preserving constitutional safeguards. It also contrasts the BNSS with the repealed Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (CrPC), and evaluates the implications for stakeholders such as law enforcement, judiciary, and citizens.