BNS To Triple Talaq: How Modi Government Rewrote India's Legal Landscape In 12 Years

Published 10 June 2026 · politics

BNS To Triple Talaq: How Modi Government Rewrote India's Legal Landscape In 12 Years Reported By, Edited By Last Updated: June 10, 2026, 12:25 IST

BNS To Triple Talaq: How Modi Government Rewrote India's Legal Landscape In 12 Years Reported By, Edited By Last Updated: June 10, 2026, 12:25 IST The most far-reaching legal reform undertaken during the Modi years has been the replacement of IPC - inherited from British rule - with Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Rapid Read From replacing colonial-era criminal laws to digitising courts and repealing obsolete statutes, PM Modi's reform agenda has touched multiple layers of India's legal system. (AI generated image) Prime Minister Narendra Modi has completed 4,399 days in office, becoming India’s longest-serving democratically elected PM, breaking Jawaharlal Nehru’s record. One of the most significant – and often less publicly discussed – aspects of his government’s legacy lies in the domain of law, justice and governance. Over the past twelve years, the Modi government has pursued a series of legal, judicial and administrative reforms that are aimed at making justice delivery faster, governance more efficient and laws more aligned with contemporary India. From replacing colonial-era criminal laws to digitising courts and repealing obsolete statutes, PM Modi’s reform agenda has touched multiple layers of India’s legal system. Replacing Colonial-Era Criminal Laws The most far-reaching legal reform undertaken during the Modi years has been the replacement of three foundational criminal laws inherited from British rule. The Indian Penal Code (IPC) of 1860, the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) of 1973 and the Indian Evidence Act of 1872 have been replaced by the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA). The government has described this transition as a shift from a colonial framework designed to govern subjects to a citizen-centric justice system.

The new laws place greater emphasis on technology-enabled investigations, time-bound procedures, electronic evidence and offences such as organised crime and terrorism. Critics have raised concerns over some provisions, but there is little dispute that the reform marks the biggest overhaul of India’s criminal justice architecture since Independence. Article 370 and Constitutional Integration Another defining legal and constitutional move came in August 2019, when the government revoked the special status granted to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370. The move effectively brought the former state under the same constitutional framework applicable to the rest of India. The government argued that it would improve governance, investment and integration. Supporters viewed it as the completion of national integration, while critics questioned both the process and its implications for federalism. Nevertheless, it remains one of the most consequential constitutional decisions in modern Indian history. Triple Talaq Law and Women’s Rights In 2019, Parliament enacted legislation criminalising instant triple talaq, a practice that allowed a Muslim man to divorce his wife by pronouncing “talaq" three times. The law came as a major step towards gender justice and protection of Muslim women. The legislation followed a Supreme Court judgment that had already declared the practice unconstitutional. For many women affected by unilateral divorce, the law came as an additional layer of legal protection. Digital Transformation of India’s Courts The Modi years have also witnessed a major push towards digitisation of the judiciary through the e-Courts Mission Mode Project. Virtual hearings, electronic filing of cases, online access to court records and digital case management systems have expanded significantly, especially after the Covid-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of technology.