Report No. 154

Proceedings of workshop held at Madras on March 13, 1996 relating to the proposed amendments to certain sections/clauses of Code of Criminal Procedure

The above workshop was headed by Mr. Justice K. Jayachandra Reddy, Chairman, Law Commission of India along with Thiru Justice V. Ramaswami, Chairman, Tamil Nadu State Law Commission.

Present:

1. S. Sripall-D.G.P. (Trg.)

2. V.K. Rajagopalan-Addl. D.G.P., C.B.C.I.D.

3. K.V.S. Murthy-D.I.G., Admn.

4. Letika Saran-D.LG., CB-CLD.

5. S. Ramani-Joint Director, Vigilance & Anti-Corruption

6. K.E. Venkatraman-Legal Adviser, Director of Vigilance & Anti-Corruption.

7. S. Saravanaperumal-Director, Prosecution.

8. V. Chandrasekaran-Addl. Secy. (Courts), Home Department, Madras.

9. M. Muniraman-Law Secretary.

10. M. Nagoormeeran-Director of Govt. Litigations, High Court.

11. A. Krishnankutty Nair-Dy. Secy. to Govt., Law Department.

12. A.R. Chittaranjan-Under Secy. to Govt., Law Department.

13. K. Sumathi-Advocate, High Court, Madras (Women Lawyers Association).

14. S. Vanamamalai-Legal Adviser to D.I.G., C.B.C.I.D.

15. T.C. Sridharan-Under Secy. to Govt. (Law).

16. P.K. Kasi Viswanathan-Dy. Commr. of Police, City Police Office.

17. Ammu Balachandran-Advocate, Madras High Court.

18. P. Anand Rao-Full-Time Member, State Law Commission.

19. P. Jeyasingh Peter-Full-Time Member, State Law Commission.

20. Justice K. Swamidurai-Part-Time Member, State Law Commission.

21. K. Ramalingam-Inspector-General of Prisons.

22. L. Vijayanarayanan-Dy. Inspector-General of Prisons.

23. R.0 Varadarajulu-Member-Secretary, State Law Commission.

24. S. Loordusaamy-Deputy Secretary, State Law Commission.

Mr. Justice V. Ramaswami, Chairman, State Law Commission, welcomed the participants. He highlighted the importance of workshop and briefed about the proposed changes required for certain sections in the Code of Criminal Procedure. He requested all the participants to come out with their views/suggestions on the above.

After this followed Key Note address from Mr. Justice K. Jayachandra Reddy, Chairman, Law Commission of India. He said that it was the first time in the 19th century Law Commission was constituted during the British Rule and the Law Commission was headed by Macualay. This Commission have given a lot of suggestions to amend the laws and the suggestions were accepted and laws were amended accordingly. After independence, first Law Commission of India was constituted in the year 1955. He said that Law Commission of India was constituted every three years from the year 1955.

He said Law Commission have the uphill task of suggesting to bring out various reforms in the field of law and as regard the code of criminal procedure. He said that Law Commission in its 14th report have suggested amendments to certain sections in the code of criminal procedure. He also pointed out that an Amendment Bill was recently introduced in the Rajya Sabha in the year 1994 for amendment of the code of criminal procedure.

He also informed that Law Commission of India was asked by Government of India that instead of making piecemeal suggestion to the code of criminal procedure, but to make an in-depth study of the entire code of criminal procedure and to come out with the suggestions to amend the code of criminal procedure wherever relevant to suit the modern times. Having this uphill task he has been conducting workshop at various States of India participated by professionals like judges, lawyers, high police officials and other persons connected with it and the workshop held today is one such.

He briefed the important sections which needs to be amended and requested the participants to give their valuable suggestions. He also enlightened the valuable suggestions given by the participants in the workshop held earlier in various other States and some of them have to be really thought of though few other suggestions may not be partially possible.