President calls for total revamp of Indian Penal Code

President Pranab Mukherjee has called for a through revision of the Indian Penal Code to meet the changing needs of the 21st century. Speaking after inaugurating the valedictory function of the 155th anniversary of the Indian Penal Code held in Kochi on Friday, Mr Mukherjee said that the “IPC has undergone very few changes in the last one hundred fifty-five years”.

“There is no doubt that the IPC as a premier code for criminal law is a model piece of legislation. Nevertheless, it requires a thorough revision to meet the changing needs of the twenty-first century”, he said.

“Very few crimes have been added to the initial list of crimes and declared punishable. Even now, there are offences in the Code which were enacted by the British to meet their colonial needs. Yet, there are many new offences which have to be properly defined and incorporated in the Code”, he said.

The President said security of citizens and of property is an essential function of a state. “It is achieved through the instrumentality of criminal law. Criminal Law has to be necessarily sensitive to changes in social structure and social philosophy. It has to be a reflection of contemporary social consciousness and a faithful mirror of a civilization underlining the fundamental values on which it rests”, he said.

President has also said that it is incumbent on the law enforcing agencies, particularly the police force, to fulfill its foremost duty of maintaining law and order sincerely and with dedication. The image of the police depends on its ‘actions’, in ensuring prompt, equitable and fair enforcement of laws, he added.