The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023

The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (Act No. 45) is the comprehensive criminal-law code that replaces the Indian Penal Code of 1860. It defines criminal offences, fixes their punishments, and sets out the general exceptions to criminal liability. How a crime is investigated and tried is in the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, and how it is proved is in the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023.

The Sanhita applies to all individuals within Indian jurisdiction — citizens, residents, and visitors — and covers offences against individuals, property, the state, and public tranquility, touching law enforcement, the judiciary, and criminal-law practitioners.

Its provisions are organised into chapters by category of offence. Notable groupings include:

Chapter II — Of Punishments (Sections 4–13): forms of punishment, including community service (Section 4), commutation, and solitary confinement.
Chapter III — General Exceptions (Sections 14–44): circumstances under which a person is not criminally liable, such as private defence or duress.
Chapter V — Of Offences Against Woman and Child (Sections 63–99): sexual offences, dowry death, and child exploitation, emphasising protection of vulnerable groups.
Chapter VI — Of Offences Affecting the Human Body (Sections 100–146): culpable homicide (Section 100), murder (Sections 101 and 103), hurt, and assault.
Chapter IX — Of Offences Relating to Elections (Sections 169–177): electoral malpractices including bribery and undue influence.

Enforcement is the responsibility of law-enforcement agencies and the judiciary — trial courts and higher courts that interpret and apply the provisions.

Common use cases include practitioners seeking guidance on criminal law, individuals in criminal proceedings, and victims looking for recourse, as well as law-enforcement agencies during investigation and prosecution. Because the BNS is new, mapping an old IPC section to its BNS equivalent is one of the most common research tasks.

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