The non-Hindi speaking populace and Bar have pointed out their difficulties in pronouncing these names and have even filed petitions seeking change in the names.
And now Punjab and Haryana High Court has offered a practical solution – refer to these laws by their abbreviations.
Justice Anoop Chitkara said that there would be nothing wrong if the three laws are referred to as BNSS, BNS and BSA in first information reports (FIR), petitions, orders etc.
Calling the new criminal laws with their abbreviations as BNSS, BNS and BSA will not be violative of any law but would rather promote inclusivity, facilitating a more accessible and efficient judicial process, the single-judge opined.
“A reading of “The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023,”; “The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023,” and “Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023” do not point out any restrictions not to call these statutes by their abbreviations, BNSS, BNS, and BSA, and it is time to call them by their abbreviations, which would not be violative of any law. Adopting abbreviations for the new criminal laws will not only simplify the usage of lengthy Hindi terminology in legal space but also promote inclusivity, facilitating a more accessible and efficient judicial process,” the Court said.
Source: Barandbench
