The Uttarakhand Cabinet has approved a proposal to repeal the state’s Witness Protection Act 2020, paving the way for the implementation of a new witness protection scheme under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) 2023. The bill for repealing the Act will be introduced in the upcoming monsoon session of the Assembly.
The Witness Protection Act 2020 was earlier enforced in the state under provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). However, with the CrPC replaced nationwide by the BNSS from July 1 last year, the state government has decided to align with the new legal framework.
Section 398 of the BNSS provides for the formulation of a witness protection scheme and clearly defines measures to safeguard witnesses in criminal proceedings. To avoid duplication and ensure compliance with the BNSS, the Home Department presented the repeal proposal before the Cabinet, which was subsequently approved after deliberation.
