India proposes revamping colonial-era criminal laws

The government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposed legislation on Friday aimed at overhauling some colonial-era criminal laws, including the contentious sedition law, as well as protecting women and minors.  

India’s Home Minister Amit Shah presented the bills to the parliament to repeal and replace the Indian Penal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure and the Indian Evidence Act.

Many of these statutes were introduced in the 19th century when the country was under British…