West Bengal Bar Council to observe July 1 as Black Day against three new criminal laws

The Bar Council of West Bengal unanimously resolved to observe July 1 as 'Black Day' in protest against the three new criminal laws: Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) 2023, and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) 2023. These laws will replace the Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure, and Indian Evidence Act, respectively, and are set to come into force on July 1. During a meeting on June 25, the Council members deemed these laws anti-people and undemocratic, predicting they would cause significant hardship for the common man. The Bar Council has directed all Bar Associations in West Bengal and Andaman & Nicobar Islands to abstain from judicial work and organize protest rallies on July 1.