Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah, chairs a meeting of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee of the Ministry of Home Affairs at Sri Vijaya Puram in Andaman and Nicobar Islands

1. At a Glance

• Parliamentary Consultative Committee (PCC) meeting of the Ministry of Home Affairs, chaired by Union Home & Cooperation Minister Amit Shah, held at Sri Vijaya Puram (renamed capital of Andaman & Nicobar Islands) [S1][S2].
• Focus: rollout and impact of the three new criminal laws (BNS, BNSS, BSA) effective 1 July 2024, and the national forensic infrastructure push [S1][S3].
• Examinable as a current-affairs hook tying together: criminal law reform, forensic capacity, internal security (UAPA), and toponymic decolonisation of A&N Islands [S1][S2].

2. Why in the News

• PCC of MHA convened in Sri Vijaya Puram (April 2026), an unusual outstation venue for a parliamentary committee meeting [S1].
• HM declared that the three new criminal laws will deliver time-bound justice from Sessions Court to Supreme Court by 2029 [S1].
• Announcement of ₹30,000 crore investment over five years to build a nationwide forensic-lab network [S1].

3. Background & Evolution

• Parliamentary Consultative Committees: informal, ministry-attached committees of MPs from both Houses; chaired by the concerned Union Minister; serve as a forum for policy exchange (distinct from Departmentally Related Standing Committees) [S1].
• Port Blair → Sri Vijaya Puram: renamed by Government of India on 13 Sept 2024 to shed colonial nomenclature; complements earlier renaming of Ross/Neil/Havelock to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep / Shaheed Dweep / Swaraj Dweep (2018) [S2].
• Three new criminal laws notified on 25 Dec 2023, in force 1 July 2024: Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023 replacing IPC 1860; Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) 2023 replacing CrPC 1898/1973; Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) 2023 replacing Indian Evidence Act 1872 [S3].

4. Core Static Facts

• Host Ministry: Ministry of Home Affairs; Union Minister: Amit Shah (also Minister of Cooperation) [S1].
• Venue: Sri Vijaya Puram, Andaman & Nicobar Islands (UT) [S1][S2].
• Laws referenced: BNS 2023, BNSS 2023, BSA 2023 — effective 1 July 2024 [S3].
• Forensic labs (mobile): 0 in 2021 → 1,000 in 2026 [S1].
• Forensic investment: ₹30,000 crore over 5 years; target — every State to have a forensic university or Central Forensic Lab by 2029 [S1].
• Time-bound justice target: Sessions Court → Supreme Court verdict pipeline by 2029 [S1].
• e-FIR and Zero-FIR under Section 173(1) BNSS — registration regardless of jurisdiction [S3].
• UAPA terrorism data maintained separately by MHA [S1].
• A&N Islands governed under Article 239 (UT administered by President via Lt Governor) [S2].

5. Multi-Dimensional Analysis

Legal / Constitutional - BNS/BNSS/BSA replace three colonial-era statutes (IPC, CrPC, Evidence Act) — largest overhaul of substantive + procedural criminal law since independence [S3]. - Zero-FIR codified statutorily (was earlier only Malimath/Justice Verma recommendation) [S3]. - Forensic evidence mandatory in offences punishable with ≥7 years (Sec. 176(3) BNSS) — drives the lab-network push [S3].

Administrative - Implementation challenge: training of police, prosecutors, judiciary; digital infrastructure (e-FIR portals, videography of search & seizure) [S3]. - Federal coordination — criminal law in Concurrent List (Entry 1, List III) — states must align rules [S3].

Scientific / Technological - Mobile forensic vans, National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU) Gandhinagar as anchor institution; videography of search/seizure now mandatory [S1][S3].

Geopolitical / Strategic - A&N hosts India's only tri-services theatre command (ANC); choice of venue signals strategic emphasis on island chain in Indo-Pacific posture [S2].

Historical / Symbolic - Renaming Port Blair → Sri Vijaya Puram invokes the Chola maritime empire (Sri Vijaya) and Netaji Bose's 1943 hoisting of tricolour at Port Blair [S2].

6. Recent Developments (last 12-18 months)

• 13 Sept 2024: Port Blair officially renamed Sri Vijaya Puram [S2].
• 1 July 2024: BNS, BNSS, BSA come into force [S3].
• 2026 PCC meeting at Sri Vijaya Puram — HM updates MPs on criminal-law rollout, forensic ramp-up, UAPA data segregation [S1].
• HM also inaugurated A&N UT projects worth ₹373 crore during same visit [companion PIB release] [S2].

7. Prelims Hooks

• Port Blair was renamed Sri Vijaya Puram in September 2024 [S2].
• A&N Islands' three renamed islands: Ross → Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep, Havelock → Swaraj Dweep, Neil → Shaheed Dweep (2018) [S2].
• The three new criminal laws came into force on 1 July 2024 [S3].
• BNS 2023 replaces IPC 1860; BNSS 2023 replaces CrPC 1898/1973; BSA 2023 replaces Indian Evidence Act 1872 [S3].
• Zero-FIR is statutorily recognised under Section 173(1) BNSS [S3].
• Government target: every State to have a forensic university or Central Forensic Lab by 2029 [S1].
• Forensic investment announced: ₹30,000 crore over 5 years [S1].
• Mobile forensic labs: 0 (2021) → 1,000 (2026) [S1].
• Parliamentary Consultative Committees are chaired by the concerned Union Minister, not by an MP (unlike DRSCs) [S1].
• A&N is a Union Territory administered under Article 239 [S2].
• UAPA stands for Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 — data on terrorism cases now separately maintained [S1].
• HM Amit Shah simultaneously holds the Ministry of Cooperation portfolio (created 6 July 2021) [S1].

8. Mains Relevance

• GS-II — Polity & Governance: criminal justice reform; Parliamentary Committees; UT administration.
• GS-III — Internal Security: UAPA; forensic infrastructure; police modernisation.
• Plausible stems: 1. "The three new criminal laws mark a paradigm shift from a punitive to a victim-centric criminal justice system." Critically examine. 2. "Adequate forensic infrastructure is a precondition for the success of BNSS, 2023." Discuss. 3. Differentiate between Parliamentary Consultative Committees and Departmentally Related Standing Committees and assess their role in policy oversight.

9. Related Topics to Study Next

• Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023 — section-wise new offences (terrorism, organised crime, mob lynching).
• National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU) — sole statutory forensic university.
• UAPA 1967 & 2019 amendment — designation of individuals as terrorists.
• Andaman & Nicobar Command (ANC) — India's only tri-service command.
• Renaming policy / decolonisation drive — Rajpath→Kartavya Path, Race Course→Lok Kalyan Marg.
• Article 239 & UT administration — comparative with Delhi (Art. 239AA), J&K.
• Ministry of Cooperation — created July 2021; Sahkar-se-Samriddhi.
• Departmentally Related Standing Committees — 24 DRSCs vs Consultative Committees.

10. Common Errors / Trap Areas

• Confusing Parliamentary Consultative Committee (informal, minister-chaired) with Departmentally Related Standing Committee (statutory under Rules, MP-chaired).
• Wrong dates: laws passed Dec 2023, in force 1 July 2024 — not 2023.
• Mixing up island renamings (Ross/Havelock/Neil) with capital renaming (Port Blair → Sri Vijaya Puram, 2024).
• Treating Zero-FIR as a new judicial doctrine — it is now statutorily codified in BNSS Sec. 173(1).
• Assuming A&N has its own legislature — it is a UT without legislature under Article 239.

11. Sources

• [S1] Union Home Minister... chairs Parliamentary Consultative Committee at Sri Vijaya Puram — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2211128 — (tier 1)
• [S2] Government has decided to rename Port Blair as "Sri Vijaya Puram" — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2054647 — (tier 1)
• [S3] New Criminal Laws (BNS/BNSS/BSA) effective 1 July 2024 — https://www.newsonair.gov.in/new-criminal-laws-bharatiya-nyaya-sanhita-2023-and-others-to-come-into-force-on-1st-july-2024/ — (tier 1, Prasar Bharati/DD News, gov.in)