Forensic probe to be made mandatory for offences attracting 6 yrs or more in jail
- June 27, 2022
- Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
- Category: DPN Topics
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Forensic probe to be made mandatory for offences attracting 6 yrs or more in jail
Context: The government is working towards making forensic investigation mandatory in all cases of offences punishable with imprisonment for more than 6 years
Concept:
- The government is planning to make forensic investigation compulsory in all cases where the offence attracts a punishment of six years or more
- Criminals in view of the use of technology by them, the need for investigating agencies to be one step ahead of them becomes necessary
- The central government in collaboration with the state governments is working on a three-pronged approach to reforms in Police Investigation, Prosecution and Forensics
- The government called for the establishment of an independent Directorate of Prosecution and an independent Directorate of Forensic Science in each State/UT through proposed comprehensive amendments to the Indian Penal Code, Criminal Procedure Code and the Indian Evidence Act
- This is the right time to focus on technology-based and evidence-based investigation to achieve the targeted conviction rate, which he pegged at 90%
- The central government is providing funds to strengthen the forensic infrastructure across the country, including setting up of Mobile Forensic Science Units in each district, and these units will serve at least three blocks in a district
- The government keen on needs to steps are also being taken to standardize forensic equipment, instrument calibration, Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) in all FSLs in the country for high quality forensic results
Parliamentary Consultative Committee
- These committees are constituted by the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs.
- These are normally constituted after the new Lok Sabha is constituted.
- This implies that these committees stand dissolved upon dissolution of every Lok Sabha and thus, are reconstituted upon constitution of each Lok Sabha.
Composition
- The guidelines regarding the composition, functions and procedures of these committees are formulated by the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs.
- It also makes arrangements for holding their meetings both during the session and the intersession period of Parliament.
- These consist of members of both the Houses of Parliament.
- However, the membership of these committees is voluntary and is left to the choice of the members and the leaders of their parties.
- The maximum membership of a committee is 30 and the minimum is
Functions
These committees are attached to various ministries/departments of the Central Government.
The Minister/Minister of State in charge of the Ministry concerned acts as the chairman of the consultative committee of that ministry.
These provide a forum for informal discussions between the ministers and the members of Parliament on policies and programmes of the government and the manner of their implementation.
The Consultative Committees are not Parliamentary Committees.