TERRORISM LAWS AND CIVIL LIBERTIES

Abstract

The paradigm shift in the criminal justice system of India is characterized by the introduction of new criminal laws and is, in principle, represented by Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita replacing the dated Indian Penal Code. An attempt to reform the current legal order requires a detailed and cynical examination of the principles, doctrines, and ideologies that underlie the current system (Thomas, 2024).This new set of legislative frameworks aims to furnish a more progressive and effective architecture for tackling crime which will overhaul criminal justice administration in India. But these changes also raise fundamental issues of the balance between national security requirements and the need to protect civil liberties, particularly in relation to antiterrorism legislation. The legislative framework needs to shift in a way that will allow the nation to be secure vis-a-vis the challenges posed by cyber technology while keeping human freedoms intact (Annappa, 2022).Overtime, the balance between the protection of digital infrastructure and protection of civil liberties have brought with itself the intersection of cybersecurity and criminal law (Bartoli, 2025). Not the least of which is the impact of these legal instruments on the rights and freedoms of individuals, particularly regarding surveillance, detention, and due process.