The Lok Sabha on Monday passed a bill that seeks to make the investigation of crime more expeditious and increase the conviction rate.
The Criminal Procedure (Identification) Bill, 2022 was passed after a reply by Home Minister Amit Shah. Several opposition members demanded that the bill should be referred to a standing committee.
Amit Shah said that those who are citing human rights should also think about the human rights of rape victims.
“They (Opposition) only worry about rapists, looters…But the Centre does worry about the human rights of law-abiding citizens,” he said.
The bill, which seeks to replace the Identification of Prisoners Act, 1920, provides for legal sanction for taking appropriate body measurements of persons who are required to give such measurements to “make the investigation of crime more efficient and expeditious”.
The bill seeks to define ”measurements” to include finger-impressions, palm-print and foot-print impressions, photographs, iris and retina scan, physical, biological samples and their analysis.
It seeks to empower the National Crime Records Bureau of India to collect, store and preserve the record of measurements and for sharing, dissemination, destruction and disposal of records.
The bill also seeks to empower a Magistrate to direct any person to give measurements and empower police or prison officer to take measurements of any person who resists or refuses to give measurements.
(With agency inputs)