Haryana emerged as front-runner in criminal justice reform: Official

Hindustan Times

08-07-2025

New Delhi, Haryana has emerged as a front-runner in criminal justice reform, with the death sentence pronounced within 140 days in a rape case of a minor exemplifying the state's commitment to delivering fast, victim-centric justice, a senior official said on Tuesday. Haryana emerged as front-runner in criminal justice reform: Official
Haryana has set a national benchmark through advanced technology, upgraded forensic infrastructure, and intensive training under India's new criminal laws, said state's Additional Chief Secretary Sumita Misra.
Spearheading an ambitious revamp across police functioning, prosecution, investigation, and courtroom procedures, Haryana's model has been lauded for its "holistic and technology-driven" approach, she said.
Interacting with media persons here during a visit to a national forensic exhibition at Bharat Mandapam, Misra said the backbone of Haryana's reforms is a massive capacity building initiative that has trained over 54,000 police personnel in the nuanced provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita , Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita , and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam .
The training, she said, emphasised not only legal understanding but also victim-sensitive investigation, digital integration, and modern evidence handling. In parallel, over 37,800 officers have been onboarded onto the iGOT Karmayogi platform, promoting continuous, self-paced legal education one of the most extensive digital skilling drives among state police forces.
Misra said Haryana's digital policing leap is anchored by full-scale implementation of platforms like eSummon and eSakshya. Over 91.37 per cent of summons are now issued electronically, while 100 per cent of searches and seizures are digitally recorded.
Notably, 67.5 per cent of witness and complainant statements are being captured using the eSakshya mobile application, standardizing evidence collection and improving transparency across investigations.
Misra said that the state's approach to gender-sensitive justice is fortified by Fast Track Special Courts under the POCSO Act in Gurugram, Faridabad, and Panchkula, ensuring swift trials in heinous crimes against women and children.
The official also said that under the new criminal laws, witness examination has now extended beyond traditional courtrooms whereby witnesses can now be examined at 'designated places'.
She said the state has also significantly expanded its forensic infrastructure, with mobile forensic vans deployed in every district and two in larger districts. A substantial ₹68.70 crore investment has enabled the procurement of modern cyber forensic tools, she added.
These reforms, she said, are not just theoretical, they are delivering results.
In addition to the 140-day death sentence conviction, several other criminal trials have concluded in under 20 days, demonstrating Haryana's ability to deliver swift, efficient, and transparent justice, she claimed.
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