The Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed three amended bills in absence of the Opposition, as 97 of them have been suspended during this session.

The bills seek to repeal and replace criminal laws. The Bharatiya Nyaya (Second) Sanhita Bill (BNSS) will replace the Indian Penal Code, 1860; the Bharatiya Sakshya (Second) Bill (BSS) will replace the Indian Evidence Act, 1872; and the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha (Second) Sanhita Bill (BNSSS) will replace the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898.

All three were discussed and passed with a voice-vote, in the absence of the majority of Opposition members from INDIA bloc parties. The discussion saw the participation from 16 MPs. Out of these, none were from the Opposition INDIA collective, which has boycotted proceedings after 97 Lok Sabha members have been suspended for the rest of the winter session.

“The objective of the IPC (Indian Penal Code) was to punish and not deliver justice. All the three laws, which are over 150 years old were made by the British to rule over us. Prime Minister Narendra Modi decided to remove all such remnants of the colonial era,” Union Home Minister Amit Shah said.

Later, the Opposition INDIA block decided to challenge the three legislation in the Supreme Court, after discussing the bills during a meeting of their floor leaders on Wednesday evening.