The Indian Penal Code, 1860 was replaced by the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS) on 1 July 2024. Most offences survive with new numbers: Section 302 IPC is now Section 103 BNS, 420 is 318(4), 376 is 64, 498A is 85 and 34 is 3(5). The tables below map the most searched IPC sections to their BNS equivalents and flag every real change.
The BNS has 358 sections against 511 in the IPC. The drop in number does not mean offences were removed on that scale. Many small IPC sections were folded into sub-sections of one BNS section. Kidnapping, unlawful assembly, cheating, criminal breach of trust and counterfeiting are good examples. According to the government’s own summary, the BNS adds 20 new offences, raises imprisonment for 33 offences, introduces community service as a punishment and deletes 19 IPC provisions.
How to read this table
Each row gives the old IPC section, the matching BNS section, the offence, and a short note on change. A blank note means the offence and punishment were carried over in substance. Sub-sections matter: always cite them. Writing “Section 115 BNS” for simple hurt is incomplete, because 115(1) defines hurt and 115(2) punishes it.
The rule on which law applies is simple. An offence committed before 1 July 2024 is still charged and tried under the IPC. An offence committed on or after that date falls under the BNS. Pending investigations and trials started under the old law continue under it, as saved by the repeal clause in Section 358 BNS.
General exceptions, joint liability and punishment
| IPC section | BNS section | Offence / provision | Note on change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 34 | 3(5) | Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention | Moved into the general explanations section |
| 53 | 4 | Kinds of punishment | Community service added as a new punishment |
| 82 | 20 | Act of a child under seven years | |
| 84 | 22 | Act of a person of unsound mind | |
| 96 | 34 | Things done in private defence | |
| 100 | 38 | When private defence of body extends to causing death | |
| 103 | 41 | When private defence of property extends to causing death | “By night” replaced by “after sunset and before sunrise” |
| 117 | 57 | Abetting an offence by the public or more than ten persons | Maximum raised from 3 to 7 years, with fine |
| 120B | 61(2) | Punishment of criminal conspiracy | |
| 149 | 190 | Every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object | |
| 511 | 62 | Attempt to commit offences punishable with life or other imprisonment | Moved from the last section to the chapter on abetment and conspiracy |
Offences affecting the human body
| IPC section | BNS section | Offence | Note on change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 299 | 100 | Culpable homicide | |
| 300 | 101 | Murder | |
| 302 | 103(1) | Punishment for murder | |
| 303 | 104 | Murder by a life convict | Mandatory death replaced by death or life imprisonment for the remainder of natural life |
| 304 | 105 | Culpable homicide not amounting to murder | Minimum of 5 years introduced for the first limb (intention) |
| 304A | 106(1) | Causing death by negligence | Maximum raised from 2 to 5 years; registered medical practitioner during a procedure: up to 2 years |
| 306 | 108 | Abetment of suicide | |
| 307 | 109 | Attempt to murder | Life convict causing hurt: death or life for remainder of natural life, instead of death |
| 320 | 116 | Grievous hurt (definition) | Period of severe bodily pain or inability reduced from 20 days to 15 days |
| 323 | 115(2) | Punishment for voluntarily causing hurt | Maximum fine raised from Rs 1,000 to Rs 10,000 |
| 324 | 118(1) | Hurt by dangerous weapons or means | Fine capped at Rs 20,000 |
| 325 | 117(2) | Punishment for voluntarily causing grievous hurt | |
| 326 | 118(2) | Grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means | |
| 326A | 124(1) | Grievous hurt by use of acid | |
| 326B | 124(2) | Throwing or attempting to throw acid | |
| 336, 337, 338 | 125, 125(a), 125(b) | Act endangering life or personal safety; hurt and grievous hurt so caused | Three sections merged; fine for the basic offence raised from Rs 250 to Rs 2,500 |
| 341 | 126(2) | Punishment for wrongful restraint | Fine raised from Rs 500 to Rs 5,000 |
| 353 | 132 | Assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from duty | |
| 359, 363 | 137(1), 137(2) | Kidnapping and its punishment | Kidnapping from India and from lawful guardianship merged into one section |
| 363A | 139 | Kidnapping or maiming a child for begging | Minimum of 10 years |
| 364A | 140(2) | Kidnapping for ransom | |
| 370 | 143 | Trafficking of persons | “Minor” replaced by “child” |
Sexual offences
| IPC section | BNS section | Offence | Note on change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 375 | 63 | Rape (definition) | Marital exception now applies only where the wife is 18 or above (was 15) |
| 376(1), 376(2) | 64 | Punishment for rape | |
| 376(3) | 65(1) | Rape of a woman under sixteen | |
| 376AB | 65(2) | Rape of a woman under twelve | |
| 376A | 66 | Rape causing death or persistent vegetative state | |
| 376D | 70(1) | Gang rape | |
| 376DA, 376DB | 70(2) | Gang rape of a minor | Separate under-16 and under-12 sections replaced by one provision for a woman under 18 |
| 354 | 74 | Assault or criminal force to outrage the modesty of a woman | |
| 354A | 75 | Sexual harassment | |
| 354B | 76 | Assault with intent to disrobe | |
| 354C | 77 | Voyeurism | |
| 354D | 78 | Stalking | |
| 509 | 79 | Word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman |
Offences against women and marriage
| IPC section | BNS section | Offence | Note on change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 304B | 80 | Dowry death | |
| 366 | 87 | Kidnapping or abducting a woman to compel marriage | |
| 494 | 82(1) | Marrying again during the lifetime of husband or wife (bigamy) | |
| 498 | 84 | Enticing or detaining a married woman with criminal intent | Wording simplified; punishment unchanged |
| 498A | 85 | Cruelty by husband or his relatives | Meaning of “cruelty” now placed in a separate Section 86 |
Offences against property
| IPC section | BNS section | Offence | Note on change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 378 | 303(1) | Theft (definition) | |
| 379 | 303(2) | Punishment for theft | Repeat conviction: rigorous imprisonment of 1 to 5 years; community service for a first-time theft below Rs 5,000 where the property is returned |
| 380 | 305 | Theft in a dwelling house | Widened to cover means of transport and places of worship |
| 384 | 308(2) | Punishment for extortion | |
| 392 | 309(4) | Punishment for robbery | |
| 395 | 310(2) | Punishment for dacoity | |
| 396 | 310(3) | Dacoity with murder | Minimum of 10 years where death or life is not awarded |
| 403 | 314 | Dishonest misappropriation of property | Now a minimum of 6 months, up to 2 years, and fine |
| 406 | 316(2) | Punishment for criminal breach of trust | Maximum raised from 3 to 5 years |
| 411 | 317(2) | Dishonestly receiving stolen property | |
| 417 | 318(2) | Punishment for cheating | Maximum raised from 1 to 3 years |
| 418 | 318(3) | Cheating a person whose interest the offender must protect | Maximum raised from 3 to 5 years |
| 420 | 318(4) | Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property | |
| 419 | 319(2) | Punishment for cheating by personation | Maximum raised from 3 to 5 years |
| 427 | 324(4) | Mischief causing damage of a specified amount | Punishment now graded by value of loss, with a new 324(5) for larger losses |
| 447 | 329(3) | Punishment for criminal trespass | |
| 448 | 329(4) | Punishment for house trespass | Fine raised from Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000 |
| 457 | 331(4) | Lurking house trespass or house breaking at night to commit an offence |
Public order, the State and public servants
| IPC section | BNS section | Offence | Note on change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 143 | 189(2) | Being a member of an unlawful assembly | |
| 144 | 189(4) | Joining an unlawful assembly armed with a deadly weapon | |
| 147 | 191(2) | Punishment for rioting | |
| 148 | 191(3) | Rioting armed with a deadly weapon | |
| 153A | 196 | Promoting enmity between groups | |
| 153B | 197 | Imputations prejudicial to national integration | New clause 197(1)(d) on false or misleading information jeopardising sovereignty or security |
| 186 | 221 | Obstructing a public servant in discharge of public functions | |
| 188 | 223 | Disobedience to order duly promulgated by a public servant | Where danger to life is caused: up to 1 year or fine up to Rs 5,000 (was 6 months or Rs 1,000) |
| 193 | 229 | Punishment for false evidence | |
| 201 | 238 | Causing disappearance of evidence | |
| 279 | 281 | Rash driving on a public way | |
| 294 | 296 | Obscene acts and songs | Fine capped at Rs 1,000 |
| 295A | 299 | Deliberate and malicious acts to outrage religious feelings | |
| 510 | 355 | Misconduct in public by a drunken person | Fine raised from Rs 10 to Rs 1,000; community service added |
Documents, forgery and counterfeiting
| IPC section | BNS section | Offence | Note on change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 465 | 336(2) | Punishment for forgery | |
| 467 | 338 | Forgery of valuable security, will, etc. | |
| 468 | 336(3) | Forgery for the purpose of cheating | |
| 471 | 340(2) | Using as genuine a forged document or electronic record | |
| 489A | 178 | Counterfeiting currency notes or bank notes | Merged with coin and stamp counterfeiting offences |
| 489B | 179 | Using forged or counterfeit currency notes as genuine | Merged with related coin offences |
Defamation, intimidation and insult
| IPC section | BNS section | Offence | Note on change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 499 | 356(1) | Defamation (definition) | |
| 500 | 356(2) | Punishment for defamation | Community service added as an alternative |
| 503 | 351(1) | Criminal intimidation (definition) | |
| 506 | 351(2), 351(3) | Punishment for criminal intimidation | |
| 507 | 351(4) | Criminal intimidation by anonymous communication | |
| 504 | 352 | Intentional insult to provoke breach of peace |
New offences in the BNS with no IPC equivalent
| IPC section | BNS section | Offence | Note on change |
|---|---|---|---|
| None | 48 | Abetment outside India of an offence in India | New |
| None | 69 | Sexual intercourse by deceitful means, such as a false promise of marriage or job | New; up to 10 years and fine |
| None | 95 | Hiring or employing a child to commit an offence | New; 3 to 10 years and fine |
| None | 103(2) | Murder by a group of five or more on grounds such as race, caste, sex or language (mob lynching) | New; death or life imprisonment, and fine |
| None | 106(2) | Rash or negligent driving causing death, then escaping without reporting (hit and run) | New; up to 10 years; not brought into force as of October 2026 |
| None | 111 | Organised crime | New |
| None | 112 | Petty organised crime | New; 1 to 7 years and fine |
| None | 113 | Terrorist act | New |
| None | 117(3) | Grievous hurt causing permanent disability or persistent vegetative state | New; at least 10 years, up to life |
| None | 117(4) | Grievous hurt by a group of five or more on specified grounds | New; up to 7 years and fine |
| None | 226 | Attempt to commit suicide to compel or restrain a public servant | New; community service possible |
| None | 304 | Snatching | New; up to 3 years and fine |
IPC sections dropped or replaced
| IPC section | BNS section | Offence | Note on change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 124A | 152 (new offence) | Sedition | Sedition is gone; Section 152 punishes acts endangering the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India, a differently worded offence |
| 309 | No equivalent | Attempt to commit suicide | General offence dropped; only the narrow Section 226 remains |
| 310, 311 | No equivalent | Thug and punishment for being a thug | Deleted |
| 377 | No equivalent | Unnatural offences | Deleted; no BNS provision covers non-consensual acts against adult men |
| 444, 446 | No separate section | Lurking house trespass and house breaking by night (definitions) | Separate night definitions deleted |
| 497 | No equivalent | Adultery | Deleted, following Joseph Shine v. Union of India (2018) |
What changed in the big picture
Gender neutral and child focused wording
The definition of “gender” now includes transgender persons, and “child” is defined as a person under eighteen. That is why trafficking, procuration and sale of minors now speak of a “child” instead of a “minor girl”.
Community service
For the first time, community service is a punishment. It is available for six offences: a public servant unlawfully engaging in trade (202), non-appearance in response to a proclamation (209), attempting suicide to compel a public servant (226), first-time petty theft below Rs 5,000 with restitution (303(2)), drunken misconduct in public (355) and defamation (356(2)).
Higher fines and new minimums
Fines that had stayed frozen since 1860 were revised. Several offences also got a mandatory minimum: culpable homicide (105), dishonest misappropriation (314), petty organised crime (112) and repeat theft (303(2)).
Important case law behind the changes
Navtej Singh Johar v. Union of India (2018): a five-judge bench decriminalised consensual sex between adults under Section 377 IPC. The BNS drops Section 377 entirely, which critics point out leaves a gap for non-consensual acts against adult men.
Joseph Shine v. Union of India (2018): the Supreme Court struck down Section 497 IPC (adultery) as unconstitutional. The BNS does not revive it.
S.G. Vombatkere v. Union of India (2022): the Supreme Court kept Section 124A IPC in abeyance and asked governments not to register fresh sedition cases. The BNS then dropped the word sedition.
Common confusions
Is 302 now 103 or 101? Section 101 BNS defines murder (old 300). Section 103(1) punishes it (old 302). Charge sheets cite 103(1).
Is 420 now 318 or 316? Cheating is 318. Section 316 is criminal breach of trust (old 405 to 409). The two are often mixed up in FIRs.
Hit and run under 106(2): it is in the statute book but the Central Government has not notified it. In July 2026 the Delhi High Court dismissed a PIL seeking its enforcement, holding that courts cannot force notification.
Exam angle
- The BNS has 358 sections in 20 chapters. Expect direct questions on this and on the 1 July 2024 commencement date.
- Memorise the high frequency pairs: 34 to 3(5), 120B to 61(2), 302 to 103(1), 304B to 80, 376 to 64, 420 to 318(4), 498A to 85, 506 to 351.
- Mob lynching is 103(2) and group grievous hurt is 117(4). Both need five or more persons acting on grounds such as race, caste or language.
- Community service: know the six offences. Defamation (356(2)) and petty theft (303(2)) are the favourites.
- The marital rape exception age moved from 15 to 18, aligning with Independent Thought v. Union of India (2017).
Frequently asked questions
Is IPC still valid after 1 July 2024?
Yes, but only for offences committed before 1 July 2024. Those cases are investigated and tried under the IPC. New offences fall under the BNS.
What is the new section for 302 IPC?
Section 103(1) of the BNS punishes murder with death or life imprisonment and fine. The definition of murder is in Section 101.
What is 420 IPC in BNS?
Section 318(4) BNS. The punishment remains up to 7 years and fine.
What happened to Section 377 and 497 IPC?
Both are dropped. The BNS has no offence of adultery and no equivalent of Section 377.
Is sedition removed in BNS?
The word sedition and Section 124A are gone. Section 152 BNS creates a new offence of endangering the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India.
Is attempt to suicide a crime under BNS?
Not in general. Section 226 punishes only an attempt to commit suicide made to compel or restrain a public servant from discharging official duty.
Preparing for AIBE, judiciary and CLAT PG? The new criminal laws are tested heavily. Lexfolio mock tests and notes explain every answer, with old and new section numbers side by side.
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Quick quiz
Q1. Section 302 IPC (punishment for murder) corresponds to which BNS section?
- Section 101
- Section 105
- Section 103(1)
- Section 109
Show answer
Answer: C. Section 103(1) punishes murder. Section 101 only defines it.
Q2. Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property (Section 420 IPC) is now:
- Section 318(4) BNS
- Section 316(2) BNS
- Section 319(2) BNS
- Section 314 BNS
Show answer
Answer: A. Section 318(4) carries the old 420 punishment of up to 7 years and fine.
Q3. Which BNS provision deals with murder by a group of five or more on grounds such as race or caste?
- Section 111
- Section 117(4)
- Section 190
- Section 103(2)
Show answer
Answer: D. Section 103(2) is the new mob lynching provision, punishable with death or life imprisonment and fine.
Q4. Common intention under Section 34 IPC is now found in:
- Section 34 BNS
- Section 3(5) BNS
- Section 61(2) BNS
- Section 190 BNS
Show answer
Answer: B. Section 3(5) BNS. Section 34 BNS is now about private defence.
Q5. Under Section 116 BNS, the period of severe bodily pain that makes hurt “grievous” is:
- Ten days
- Twenty days
- Fifteen days
- Thirty days
Show answer
Answer: C. The BNS reduced the period from twenty days under Section 320 IPC to fifteen days.
Sources
- The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (Act 45 of 2023), Gazette of India
- Ministry of Home Affairs and PIB material on the new criminal laws: BNS to IPC comparison and summary of changes
- Navtej Singh Johar v. Union of India (2018); Joseph Shine v. Union of India (2018); S.G. Vombatkere v. Union of India (2022), Supreme Court of India
- Delhi High Court order of July 2026 dismissing a PIL on enforcement of Section 106(2) BNS
This page is for education and general information, not legal advice for a specific case.
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Useful books for this topic
- Bare acts of the new criminal laws (BNS, BNSS, BSA)
- Code of Civil Procedure bare act
- Legal drafting and conveyancing books
- Constitution of India (coat pocket edition)
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