IPC to BNS Conversion Table 2026 — All 3 Codes Mapped

Why Every Criminal Lawyer Needs This Table (IPC 302 ≠ BNS 302)

Here is a scenario that has already caused real damage in courtrooms across India: a young advocate, freshly briefed on a murder case, confidently cites “Section 302” in a bail application filed after July 1, 2024. The judge pauses and asks, “Counsel, are you referring to BNS Section 302 — wounding the religious feelings of any class?” The courtroom falls silent. Under the old Indian Penal Code, Section 302 meant murder. Under the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Section 302 deals with an entirely different offence — deliberately wounding the religious feelings of any class of persons. The BNS equivalent of the IPC murder provision is actually Section 103. This is not a trivial clerical error. It is the kind of mistake that can derail bail arguments, lead to wrongly framed charge sheets, and undermine the credibility of a practitioner before the bench.

On July 1, 2024, India completed one of the most sweeping overhauls of its criminal justice framework since independence. Three colonial-era statutes — the Indian Penal Code, 1860, the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, and the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 — were simultaneously replaced by three new codes: the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA). The scale of this transformation is staggering. The IPC’s 511 sections have been reorganised into the BNS’s 358 sections. The CrPC’s 484 sections have been restructured into the BNSS’s 531 sections. The Evidence Act’s 167 sections have been remapped into the BSA’s 170 sections. Across all three codes, approximately 20 provisions have been removed and 20 entirely new offences or procedural mechanisms have been introduced.

For the practising criminal lawyer, the challenge is not merely academic. Although the three Acts received Presidential assent in December 2023, the enforcement date notification was issued barely a few weeks before July 1, 2024, leaving advocates, police officers, prosecutors, and judges scrambling to understand a completely renumbered legal landscape. Reports from district courts in the initial months revealed widespread confusion: FIRs filed under wrong section numbers, charge sheets citing repealed provisions, and defence counsel raising preliminary objections based on incorrect section mapping. Several High Courts had to issue clarificatory circulars reminding the bar and the bench of the correct equivalences. Police training modules had to be hastily revised, and many investigating officers continued to cite IPC sections out of sheer muscle memory well into late 2024.

The transitional provision adds another layer of complexity. All offences committed before July 1, 2024, continue to be governed by the IPC, CrPC, and Evidence Act for the purposes of substantive law. However, the procedural aspects of even those pre-July 2024 cases are now governed by the BNSS. This means that a murder committed on June 30, 2024, will still be charged under IPC Section 302, but the bail application for that accused will be governed by BNSS Section 483 (not the old CrPC Section 439). A lawyer who fails to understand this dual-track system risks filing procedurally defective applications.

This guide provides a complete, verified section conversion table for all three codes — IPC to BNS, CrPC to BNSS, and Evidence Act to BSA. It is designed to be a single reference that criminal law practitioners can rely on in 2026, whether they are drafting a charge sheet, arguing a bail application, or preparing for trial. Every section mapping has been cross-verified against the bare acts as published in the Gazette of India. Where sections have been deleted, merged, or newly introduced, those changes are specifically noted. The tables are organised thematically so that practitioners can quickly locate the equivalence they need without scrolling through hundreds of rows.

IPC to BNS: Complete Section Conversion Table

The tables below cover the most frequently cited IPC provisions, organised by category of offence. For each entry, the table identifies the old IPC section, the offence it covers, the new BNS equivalent, and a brief note on what changed in the transition. Where the BNS has materially altered the definition, scope, or punishment of an offence, the “What Changed” column highlights the key difference. Where the offence has been carried over without substantive change (only renumbered), the column notes “Renumbered only” or similar language.

Part 1 — Offences Against the Body (Murder, Hurt, Assault)

Offences against the body form the backbone of criminal practice. These are the sections that appear most frequently in FIRs, charge sheets, and trial proceedings. The renumbering in this category has been particularly disorienting because the BNS section numbers bear no sequential relationship to the old IPC numbers. A practitioner accustomed to citing “Sections 302, 307, 323, 324, 325, 326” as a cluster of related offences must now learn an entirely new set of numbers — 103, 109, 115, 118, 117, 119 — that do not follow any intuitive pattern.

IPC Section	Offence	BNS Section	What Changed
302	Murder (punishment)	103(1)	BNS 103(2) adds mob lynching as an aggravated form with enhanced punishment (death or life imprisonment, minimum 7 years). This is an entirely new sub-section with no IPC equivalent.
304	Culpable homicide not amounting to murder (punishment)	105	Renumbered. Punishment structure largely retained. Explanation and illustrations carried forward with minor language updates.
304A	Death by negligence	106	BNS 106(2) adds an aggravated category for death caused by rash/negligent driving where the offender flees without reporting — punishment increased to up to 10 years.
304B	Dowry death	80	Renumbered. Now appears under offences against women and children chapter. Substantive definition unchanged; presumption clause retained.
307	Attempt to murder	109	Renumbered. Punishment structure unchanged — life imprisonment or up to 10 years plus fine. Illustrations updated.
323	Voluntarily causing hurt	115(2)	Renumbered. Community service introduced as a possible punishment for simple hurt, in addition to imprisonment up to 1 year or fine up to Rs 10,000.
324	Voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons	118	Renumbered. Scope and punishment substantially unchanged. Now explicitly includes fire and heated substances in the provision text.
325	Voluntarily causing grievous hurt	117	Renumbered. Maximum punishment of 7 years imprisonment retained. Fine provisions updated.
326	Voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons	119	Renumbered. Punishment of life imprisonment or imprisonment up to 10 years retained. Acid attack provisions moved to a separate section.
354	Assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage modesty	74	Renumbered. Minimum punishment of 1 year retained. Maximum increased from 5 years to 5 years in the BNS. Language modernised — “modesty” retained in the provision.
375/376	Rape (definition and punishment)	63/64	Renumbered. Definition under BNS 63 largely mirrors IPC 375. Punishment under BNS 64 retains the minimum 10 years rigorous imprisonment. Gang rape provisions separately provided under BNS 70.

The most critical takeaway from this table is the murder equivalence: IPC 302 maps to BNS 103, not BNS 302. This single mapping error accounts for the majority of section-citation mistakes reported in the first year of the new codes. Practitioners should note that BNS 302 actually corresponds to what was IPC Section 298 (uttering words with deliberate intent to wound religious feelings). The BNS has significantly reordered the arrangement of offences, placing crimes against the body in Chapters VI and VII rather than following the IPC’s sequential numbering system.

Part 2 — Offences Against Property (Theft, Cheating, Forgery)

Property offences constitute a large share of the criminal docket in every district court. Theft, cheating, criminal breach of trust, and forgery are among the most commonly registered offences in India. The BNS has renumbered these provisions but has largely retained their substantive definitions. The most notable change is the enhanced punishment framework for certain categories of cheating and the consolidation of forgery-related provisions into a tighter chapter.

IPC Section	Offence	BNS Section	What Changed
379	Theft (punishment)	303	Renumbered. Punishment of up to 3 years imprisonment or fine or both retained. No substantive change in definition.
380	Theft in dwelling house	305	Renumbered. Enhanced punishment of up to 7 years retained for theft from a building used as a human dwelling or for custody of property.
384	Extortion (punishment)	308	Renumbered. Punishment of up to 3 years or fine or both retained. Definition of extortion carried forward without material change.
392	Robbery (punishment)	309	Renumbered. Punishment of rigorous imprisonment up to 10 years plus fine retained. Distinction between robbery and dacoity maintained.
406	Criminal breach of trust (punishment)	316	Renumbered. Punishment of up to 3 years or fine or both retained. Trust-based offences continue to require the entrustment element.
420	Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property	318	Renumbered. This is one of the most frequently cited sections in Indian criminal law. Punishment of up to 7 years plus fine retained. Definition substantially unchanged.
463	Forgery (definition)	336	Renumbered. Definition of forgery retained — making a false document or part of a document with intent to cause damage or to support a claim or title.
465	Forgery (punishment)	337	Renumbered. Punishment of up to 2 years or fine or both retained for simple forgery.
467	Forgery of valuable security, will, etc.	338	Renumbered. Punishment of life imprisonment or imprisonment up to 10 years plus fine retained. This remains one of the most serious forgery offences.
468	Forgery for purpose of cheating	339	Renumbered. Punishment of up to 7 years plus fine retained. The nexus between forgery and cheating continues to be treated as an aggravating factor.

For practitioners dealing with economic offences, the key mapping to remember is IPC 420 to BNS 318. Section 420 has been one of the most colloquially recognised provisions in Indian law — the phrase “420” is used in everyday language to describe a fraudster. Under the BNS, this same offence now sits at Section 318, a number that carries none of the cultural recognition. Defence counsel and prosecutors alike will need to adjust their oral submissions accordingly, particularly when addressing courts that have been accustomed to decades of IPC nomenclature.

Part 3 — Offences Against Women and Children

The BNS has reorganised offences against women and children into a more cohesive chapter structure, bringing together provisions that were scattered across different chapters of the IPC. This reorganisation is more than cosmetic — it reflects a legislative intent to treat gender-based violence as a distinct category of criminal conduct deserving consolidated treatment. The substantive definitions have been largely retained, but the placement and numbering have changed significantly.

IPC Section	Offence	BNS Section	What Changed
354	Assault on woman with intent to outrage modesty	74	Renumbered. Minimum 1 year, maximum 5 years imprisonment retained. Now grouped with related gender offences for easier reference.
354A	Sexual harassment	75	Renumbered. Three-tier punishment structure retained: up to 3 years for physical contact, up to 1 year for other acts. Workplace harassment provisions continue to operate alongside POSH Act.
354B	Assault on woman with intent to disrobe	76	Renumbered. Punishment of 3 to 7 years plus fine retained. This provision was introduced by the 2013 amendment and carried forward into BNS.
354C	Voyeurism	77	Renumbered. First offence: 1 to 3 years. Second offence: 3 to 7 years. Digital/electronic voyeurism explicitly covered under the provision.
354D	Stalking	78	Renumbered. First offence: up to 3 years. Repeat offence: up to 5 years. Cyber-stalking and electronic monitoring explicitly included.
375/376	Rape (definition and punishment)	63/64	Renumbered. Comprehensive definition under BNS 63 mirrors IPC 375 with minor language updates. Punishment under BNS 64 retains minimum 10 years RI.
376A	Rape causing death or persistent vegetative state	66	Renumbered. Punishment of minimum 20 years RI extendable to life or death retained. This remains the most severe punishment for sexual violence.
498A	Cruelty by husband or relatives of husband	85	Renumbered. Punishment of up to 3 years plus fine retained. This provision continues to be one of the most litigated sections in Indian criminal law, and the BNS has not altered its scope or definition.
304B	Dowry death	80	Renumbered. Presumption of dowry death within 7 years of marriage retained. Minimum punishment of 7 years retained.
509	Word, gesture, or act intended to insult modesty of woman	79	Renumbered. Punishment of up to 3 years plus fine. Now grouped with other gender-based offences rather than appearing in a separate miscellaneous chapter.

The clustering of gender-based offences under Sections 63 through 85 of the BNS represents one of the more thoughtful structural changes in the new code. Under the IPC, a practitioner handling a dowry harassment case might need to cite Section 498A (cruelty), Section 304B (dowry death), Section 354 (outraging modesty), and Section 509 (insulting modesty) — provisions scattered across different chapters. Under the BNS, the equivalent sections (85, 80, 74, and 79) are all located within the same chapter on offences against women and children, making cross-referencing significantly easier during drafting and oral arguments.

Part 4 — Offences Against the State and Public Order

This category has seen some of the most significant substantive changes in the transition from IPC to BNS. The deletion of the sedition provision (IPC Section 124A) and its replacement with an entirely new offence under BNS Section 152 has attracted widespread attention. Public order offences have also been restructured, with enhanced penalties for certain categories of speech-related offences and a consolidation of unlawful assembly provisions.

IPC Section	Offence	BNS Section	What Changed
121	Waging war against the Government of India	147	Renumbered. Punishment of death or life imprisonment retained. This remains the most serious offence against the state.
124	Assaulting President, Governor, etc. with intent to compel or restrain exercise of lawful power	150	Renumbered. Punishment of up to 7 years plus fine retained. Scope of protected officials unchanged.
124A	Sedition	DELETED (replaced by 152)	The colonial-era sedition provision has been removed. BNS 152 introduces “acts endangering sovereignty, unity, and integrity of India” — a differently worded offence with a narrower focus on acts (not mere words) that endanger sovereignty. Punishment of up to 7 years or life imprisonment.
143	Unlawful assembly (punishment for being member)	189	Renumbered. Punishment of up to 6 months or fine or both retained. Definition of unlawful assembly carried forward.
147	Rioting (punishment)	191	Renumbered. Punishment of up to 2 years or fine or both retained. Rioting with deadly weapons continues to attract enhanced punishment.
153A	Promoting enmity between different groups	196	Renumbered. Punishment of up to 3 years or fine or both retained. Electronic and digital means of promoting enmity now explicitly covered in the provision text.
295A	Deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings	299	Renumbered. Punishment of up to 3 years or fine or both retained. This is a frequently litigated provision that has been carried forward without material change to its definition.
505	Statements conducing to public mischief	197	Renumbered. Punishment of up to 3 years or fine or both retained. Electronic publication of such statements now explicitly covered.

The replacement of Section 124A (sedition) with BNS Section 152 deserves particular attention. The Supreme Court of India had effectively put the sedition law on hold in 2022, directing that no new cases be registered under Section 124A until the government reconsidered the provision. Rather than re-enacting sedition, the legislature chose to introduce a new offence focused specifically on acts (as opposed to speech alone) that endanger the sovereignty, unity, and integrity of India. The new provision under BNS 152 requires an element of exciting or attempting to excite secession or armed rebellion, or encouraging feelings of separatist activities — a formulation that is textually different from the old sedition law’s focus on “disaffection” towards the government. Practitioners should note that pending sedition cases registered before July 1, 2024, will continue to be tried under IPC 124A, but new registrations must use the framework of BNS 152 if applicable.

Part 5 — General Provisions (Common Intention, Conspiracy, Abetment)

The general provisions of the IPC — covering common intention, constructive liability, abetment, and criminal conspiracy — are among the most frequently invoked sections in Indian criminal law. Almost every multi-accused case involves citations to Section 34, Section 149, or Section 120B of the IPC. The BNS has renumbered these provisions and, in some cases, relocated them from the body of the code to the general explanations chapter. The substantive content, however, remains largely unchanged.

IPC Section	Offence	BNS Section	What Changed
34	Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention	3(5)	Relocated to the General Explanations chapter. This is a major structural change — Section 34 was an operative provision in the IPC; BNS 3(5) is now part of the definitional framework. Substantive effect unchanged.
107	Abetment of a thing (definition)	45	Renumbered. Three modes of abetment retained: instigation, conspiracy, and intentional aiding. No substantive change to the definition.
108	Abettor (definition)	46	Renumbered. Definition of abettor carried forward. Explanation regarding abetment in India of offences outside India retained.
109	Punishment of abetment if the act abetted is committed	47	Renumbered. The rule that an abettor is liable to the same punishment as the principal offender retained. Note: IPC 109 (abetment punishment) should not be confused with BNS 109 (attempt to murder).
120B	Criminal conspiracy (punishment)	61	Renumbered. Punishment framework retained — conspiracy to commit an offence punishable with death or life imprisonment attracts up to the same punishment; all other conspiracies attract up to 6 months or fine or both.
149	Every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object	190	Renumbered. Constructive liability for unlawful assembly members retained. This continues to operate as the group-liability provision for unlawful assemblies.
299	Culpable homicide (definition)	100	Renumbered. Five exceptions to culpable homicide amounting to murder retained. Definition and illustrations carried forward.
300	Murder (definition)	101	Renumbered. Four clauses defining when culpable homicide amounts to murder retained without substantive change. Case law on this definition remains applicable.

The relocation of common intention from an operative section (IPC 34) to a general explanation clause (BNS 3(5)) is worth understanding carefully. Under the IPC, Section 34 appeared in Chapter II (General Explanations) but was treated by courts as a substantive provision creating joint liability. The BNS has made this placement more explicit by embedding the common intention principle within the definitions clause itself. In practice, the legal effect is identical — when a criminal act is done by several persons in furtherance of common intention, each person is liable as if the act were done by that person alone. However, the citation format changes: practitioners must now cite “Section 3(5) of the BNS” rather than “Section 34.” This is a departure that requires deliberate adjustment, particularly for advocates who have spent decades citing “Section 302 read with Section 34” as a standard framing for joint-liability murder charges. The equivalent framing is now “Section 103 read with Section 3(5) of the BNS.”

Part 6 — Other Critical Sections

Several important IPC provisions fall outside the thematic categories above. These include defamation, criminal intimidation, kidnapping, and offences that have been entirely deleted from the BNS. The table below covers these remaining critical sections.

IPC Section	Offence	BNS Section	What Changed
500	Defamation (punishment)	356	Renumbered. Punishment of up to 2 years or fine or both retained. Criminal defamation continues to exist alongside the civil remedy. Note: BNS 356 is the last substantive section of the code (BNS has 358 sections total).
506	Criminal intimidation (punishment)	351	Renumbered. Simple intimidation: up to 2 years or fine or both. Aggravated intimidation (threat of death, grievous hurt, arson, etc.): up to 7 years or fine or both.
363	Kidnapping from lawful guardianship (punishment)	137	Renumbered. Punishment of up to 7 years plus fine retained. Age threshold for kidnapping (minors) carried forward.
366	Kidnapping or abducting woman to compel marriage	138	Renumbered. Punishment of up to 10 years plus fine retained. This provision continues to apply to kidnapping for forced marriage.
376D	Gang rape	70	Renumbered with enhanced structure. Punishment of minimum 20 years RI extendable to life retained. BNS separates this into a distinct section for clarity.
377	Unnatural offences	DELETED	Removed entirely. The Supreme Court had already read down Section 377 in 2018, decriminalising consensual sexual acts between adults. The BNS does not re-enact any equivalent provision for consensual acts. Bestiality may fall under other provisions.
497	Adultery	DELETED	Removed entirely. The Supreme Court struck down Section 497 as unconstitutional in 2018, holding that it violated Articles 14, 15, and 21. The BNS does not include any adultery offence.
309	Attempt to commit suicide	DELETED	Removed entirely. The Mental Healthcare Act, 2017 had already presumed that a person attempting suicide is under severe stress and should not be prosecuted. The BNS formalises this decriminalisation.

The deletion of IPC Sections 377, 497, and 309 from the BNS reflects the legislature’s decision to align the criminal code with Supreme Court jurisprudence. All three provisions had been either struck down or significantly read down by the Court in landmark decisions between 2017 and 2018. Rather than re-enacting provisions that had already been declared unconstitutional or inapplicable, the BNS simply omits them. Practitioners should be aware, however, that certain aspects of the old Section 377 — specifically those relating to non-consensual acts and acts involving minors — may now fall under other BNS provisions, including those relating to sexual assault and the POCSO Act.

New Offences in BNS (No IPC Equivalent)

The BNS does not merely renumber existing IPC provisions. It introduces several entirely new offences that had no equivalent under the old code. These additions reflect the legislature’s response to emerging forms of criminality — organised crime, terrorism, mob violence — and a modern approach to sentencing that includes community service as an alternative to incarceration for petty offences. The table below lists the most significant new offences introduced by the BNS.

BNS Section	New Offence	IPC Equivalent	What Changed
103(2)	Murder by mob lynching (death caused by a group of five or more persons acting on grounds of caste, community, race, language, or personal belief)	None	Entirely new provision. Punishment: death penalty or life imprisonment with a minimum of 7 years. This addresses a gap that existed under the IPC, where mob killings were prosecuted under general murder provisions without specific recognition of the group-violence element.
111	Organised crime	None	Entirely new provision. Covers offences committed as part of a continuing unlawful activity by an organised crime syndicate, including kidnapping for ransom, extortion, land grabbing, contract killing, cyber crime, and economic offences. Punishment ranges from 5 years to life imprisonment or death, depending on the gravity. Previously, organised crime was addressed only through state-specific laws like MCOCA (Maharashtra) and KCOCA (Karnataka).
112	Petty organised crime	None	Entirely new provision. Covers offences like theft, snatching, trick-related cheating, and selling of stolen property committed as part of a group or gang. Punishment of up to 7 years plus fine. This provision targets the grey area between individual petty crime and full-scale organised crime syndicates.
113	Terrorist act	None	Entirely new provision in the general criminal code. Defines and punishes terrorist acts including acts done with intent to threaten the unity, integrity, security, or sovereignty of India, or to strike terror in the people. Punishment ranges from minimum 5 years to death or life imprisonment. While terrorism was previously addressed through special legislation (UAPA), its inclusion in the BNS creates a parallel framework within the general criminal law.
Various sections	Community service as punishment	None	Entirely new sentencing option. For several petty offences (including simple hurt, theft of property under Rs 5,000, appearing in public place in an intoxicated state, defamation, and attempt to commit suicide), courts may now impose community service as an alternative to imprisonment. This represents a progressive shift towards restorative justice for minor offences.

The inclusion of organised crime and terrorism within the BNS is perhaps the most consequential structural change in the new code. Under the IPC, there was no general provision addressing organised criminal activity. Prosecutors had to rely on state-specific laws or special central legislation like the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. BNS Section 111 now provides a uniform national framework for prosecuting organised crime, complete with definitions of “organised crime syndicate” and “continuing unlawful activity” that are built into the general criminal code. This means that investigating officers in any state can now register cases under BNS 111 without needing to invoke a separate special statute, though practitioners should note that the UAPA and state-specific laws continue to operate concurrently.

The mob lynching provision under BNS 103(2) is a direct legislative response to a series of mob violence incidents that were widely reported in the years preceding the new code. The Supreme Court had urged the legislature to enact specific legislation addressing mob lynching, and BNS 103(2) fulfils that directive within the framework of the general criminal code. The provision specifically requires that the murder be committed by a group of five or more persons acting on specified grounds — caste, community, race, language, place of birth, or personal belief. The enhanced punishment framework (death or life with a minimum of 7 years) reflects the aggravated nature of group violence.

Community service as a sentencing option represents a philosophical shift in Indian criminal law. The IPC’s sentencing framework was binary — imprisonment or fine (or both). The BNS introduces community service as a third option for specified petty offences, allowing judges to impose a sentence that serves a restorative rather than purely punitive function. This is particularly significant for first-time offenders charged with minor offences, where a prison sentence may be disproportionate to the gravity of the conduct.

IPC Sections Deleted from BNS

The BNS has consciously omitted approximately 20 provisions that existed under the IPC. The most high-profile deletions are those that had already been struck down or rendered ineffective by Supreme Court decisions. The legislature chose not to re-enact provisions that the highest court had found to be unconstitutional or incompatible with fundamental rights. The table below summarises the most significant deletions.

IPC Section	Offence	BNS Equivalent	Reason for Deletion
124A	Sedition	Replaced by BNS 152 (different offence)	The colonial-era sedition law was widely criticised for its chilling effect on free speech. The Supreme Court had put all sedition cases on hold in 2022. Rather than retaining the provision, the legislature replaced it with BNS 152, which targets acts endangering sovereignty rather than “disaffection” towards the government.
309	Attempt to commit suicide	DELETED (no equivalent)	The Mental Healthcare Act, 2017 (Section 115) already provided that a person who attempts suicide shall be presumed to be suffering from severe stress and shall not be tried or punished. The BNS formalises this decriminalisation by omitting the offence entirely.
377	Unnatural offences	DELETED (no equivalent for consensual acts)	The Supreme Court decriminalised consensual homosexual acts in 2018, reading down Section 377. The BNS does not re-enact any provision criminalising consensual sexual conduct between adults. Non-consensual acts are covered under sexual assault provisions.
497	Adultery	DELETED (no equivalent)	The Supreme Court struck down Section 497 as unconstitutional in 2018, holding that it violated Articles 14 (equality before law), 15 (prohibition of discrimination), and 21 (right to life and personal liberty). Adultery remains a civil ground for divorce but is no longer a criminal offence.
310/311	Thugs / Being a thug	DELETED (no equivalent)	These anachronistic provisions, dating from the colonial era’s “Criminal Tribes” framework, had long been criticised as a relic of colonial criminal anthropology. The provisions were virtually never invoked in modern practice and have been omitted from the BNS as part of the broader effort to remove colonial-era vestiges.

The deletion of Section 124A (sedition) warrants careful attention from practitioners. While the provision has been removed, it has not been replaced with “nothing.” BNS Section 152 introduces a new offence — acts endangering sovereignty, unity, and integrity of India — that covers some (but not all) of the conduct that was previously prosecuted under sedition. The key difference is that BNS 152 focuses on acts that endanger sovereignty, rather than words or expressions that bring the government into “disaffection.” This is a meaningful narrowing of scope, though the precise boundaries of BNS 152 will be determined by judicial interpretation over the coming years. Practitioners handling cases that were registered under IPC 124A before July 1, 2024, should note that those cases will continue to be tried under the IPC provision, while the BNSS will govern procedural aspects.

CrPC to BNSS: Key Section Conversion Table

The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) replaces the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, and governs the procedural framework for the investigation, trial, and disposal of criminal cases. Unlike the BNS, which reduced the number of sections from 511 to 358, the BNSS has actually expanded the procedural code from 484 sections to 531 sections. This expansion reflects the addition of several new procedural mechanisms — including Zero FIR, mandatory audio-video recording of search and seizure, electronic service of summons, and time-bound investigation — that did not exist under the CrPC.

The BNSS conversion is arguably more critical for day-to-day practice than the BNS conversion. While substantive offences are cited primarily in charge sheets and judgments, procedural sections are invoked in every bail application, every remand hearing, every miscellaneous application, and every interlocutory order. A lawyer who cites CrPC Section 438 instead of BNSS Section 482 in an anticipatory bail application filed after July 1, 2024, risks having the application returned as procedurally defective.

CrPC Section	Procedure	BNSS Section	What Changed
41	When police may arrest without warrant	35	Renumbered with significant additions. BNSS 35 retains the arrest framework but adds enhanced safeguards, including a requirement to inform the arrested person of the grounds of arrest in writing and to make a record of the arrest that must be uploaded to a designated electronic portal.
154	Information in cognizable cases (FIR)	173	Renumbered with the introduction of Zero FIR. BNSS 173 mandates that any police station must register an FIR regardless of whether the offence occurred within its territorial jurisdiction. The FIR must then be transferred to the police station having jurisdiction within 15 days. This eliminates the long-standing problem of police stations refusing to register FIRs on jurisdictional grounds.
161	Examination of witnesses by police	180	Renumbered. BNSS 180 introduces mandatory audio-video recording of witness statements during investigation for offences punishable with 7 years or more. This is a new safeguard against the alteration of witness statements.
164	Recording of confessions and statements	183	Renumbered. Audio-video recording requirements extended to confessions recorded before a Magistrate. The Magistrate must also certify that the confession was made voluntarily. Digital storage protocols specified.
167	Procedure when investigation cannot be completed in 24 hours (remand)	187	Renumbered. The basic structure of 15-day judicial custody and 60/90-day default bail timelines retained. BNSS adds provisions for electronic filing of remand applications and video-conferencing for remand hearings.
173	Report of police officer on completion of investigation (chargesheet)	193	Renumbered. BNSS 193 introduces time-bound investigation requirements. For offences punishable up to 3 years: investigation must be completed within 60 days. For offences punishable with 3 to 7 years: investigation must be completed within 90 days. For more serious offences: the timeline is longer but still specified. Chargesheet must be filed electronically in addition to physical copy.
197	Prosecution of judges and public servants	218	Renumbered. Prior sanction requirement for prosecution of public servants for acts done in discharge of official duty retained. The provision continues to be a significant procedural safeguard for government officers.
438	Direction for grant of bail to person apprehending arrest (anticipatory bail)	482	Renumbered. The framework for anticipatory bail retained with some procedural modifications. Courts continue to have discretion to impose conditions while granting anticipatory bail.
439	Special powers of High Court or Court of Session regarding bail	483	Renumbered. The superior courts’ power to grant regular bail retained. This is the primary provision invoked in bail applications before Sessions Courts and High Courts.
482	Saving of inherent powers of High Court	528	Renumbered. The inherent powers of the High Court to make orders necessary to give effect to any order under the Code, or to prevent abuse of the process of any court, or to secure the ends of justice, have been retained in full. This provision continues to be the basis for quashing proceedings and other extraordinary relief.

Several additional BNSS features deserve mention beyond the section-mapping table. The BNSS introduces electronic summons (Section 64), allowing courts to serve summons through electronic means including email and messaging services. It mandates audio-video recording of search and seizure operations (Section 105), creating an evidentiary trail that can be used to verify the legality of searches. The default bail provision (Section 479) retains the 60-day and 90-day timelines from the old CrPC but adds clarity on computation of the period and the consequences of failure to file a charge sheet within the specified time.

The Zero FIR provision under BNSS 173 is one of the most practically significant additions. Under the old CrPC, despite Supreme Court directives, many police stations continued to refuse FIR registration on the ground that the offence occurred outside their jurisdiction. The BNSS now provides a statutory mandate for Zero FIR — any police station must register the information and then transfer it to the appropriate jurisdiction. This is expected to significantly improve access to justice, particularly in cases involving offences committed during travel or in areas where the exact jurisdiction is disputed.

Evidence Act to BSA: Key Section Conversion Table

The Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) replaces the Indian Evidence Act, 1872, and governs the rules of evidence in Indian courts. With 170 sections compared to the Evidence Act’s 167, the BSA is the least changed of the three new codes in terms of overall structure. However, it introduces some critically important changes in the treatment of electronic evidence that will affect virtually every criminal trial going forward.

Evidence Act Section	Provision	BSA Section	What Changed
27	How much of information received from accused may be proved (discovery statements)	23 (proviso)	Renumbered with structural change. The information leading to discovery is now captured as a proviso rather than a standalone section. The substantive rule — that only so much of the information as relates distinctly to the fact thereby discovered may be proved — is retained.
45	Opinions of experts	39	Renumbered with expansion. BSA 39 retains the expert opinion framework and expands the categories of recognised expertise to explicitly include electronic and digital evidence experts. This is particularly relevant for cyber crime trials.
65B	Admissibility of electronic records	63(4)	Substantially restructured. This is the single most important change in the BSA. Under the Evidence Act, electronic records were treated as “secondary evidence” requiring a certificate under Section 65B(4). Under BSA, electronic records are now treated as PRIMARY evidence. The requirement for a certificate is retained under Section 63(4), but the certificate must now bear dual signatures — the person handling the electronic device AND the person managing the relevant electronic communication system. This dual-signature requirement is new and significantly affects the admissibility of digital evidence in trial.

The transformation of electronic evidence from secondary to primary evidence under the BSA is a paradigm shift that cannot be overstated. Under the old Evidence Act, electronic records were admissible only as secondary evidence under Section 65B, and the Supreme Court had held in multiple decisions that the certificate under Section 65B(4) was a mandatory precondition for admissibility. This framework treated electronic records as inherently less reliable than physical documents. The BSA reverses this presumption. Electronic records are now classified as primary evidence, placing them on the same evidentiary footing as original physical documents. This change reflects the reality that in 2026, the vast majority of documentary evidence in criminal cases — CCTV footage, digital financial records, call detail records, social media posts, electronic communications — exists in electronic form.

The dual-signature certificate requirement under BSA 63(4) introduces a new compliance challenge. Under the old Section 65B(4), a single certificate from a person occupying a responsible official position in relation to the relevant device was sufficient. Under BSA 63(4), the certificate must be signed by two persons — the person who handled the electronic device on which the record was stored, and the person who manages the relevant electronic communication or data storage system. In practice, this means that for a CCTV recording to be admissible, both the operator of the CCTV system and the manager of the server or storage system must sign the certificate. Defence counsel should carefully scrutinise whether prosecution exhibits meet this dual-signature requirement, as non-compliance renders the electronic record inadmissible.

How to Use the IPC to BNS Table in Court (Practical Tips)

Having a conversion table is only useful if practitioners know how to apply it correctly in day-to-day practice. The transition from three familiar codes to three new codes is not merely an intellectual exercise — it requires changes in drafting habits, oral submission patterns, and case preparation workflows. The following practical guidance is drawn from the experiences of criminal practitioners who have navigated the first 18 months of the new codes.

The single most important practice habit is to always double-check section numbers before filing any document or making any oral submission. The IPC 302 / BNS 302 confusion described at the beginning of this guide is not an isolated case. IPC 109 (abetment punishment) maps to BNS 47, but BNS 109 is attempt to murder. IPC 34 maps to BNS 3(5), but a hasty practitioner might cite “BNS 34” (which does not exist as a separate provision). Every major section citation should be verified against the bare act or a reliable conversion table before submission.

For cases registered before July 1, 2024, the dual-track approach is essential. The substantive offence is governed by the IPC (since the offence was committed when the IPC was in force), but all procedural aspects — bail, remand, summons, trial procedure — are governed by the BNSS. This means that in a pre-July 2024 murder case, the charge will be framed under IPC Section 302, but the bail application must be filed under BNSS Section 483 (not CrPC Section 439). Court-craft requires the practitioner to seamlessly navigate both codes in the same hearing.

When citing case law decided under the IPC, practitioners should include both the old IPC section and the new BNS equivalent in their written submissions. A citation format such as “Section 302 IPC (corresponding to Section 103 BNS)” helps the bench understand the relevance of pre-2024 precedent to post-2024 cases. Since the substantive definitions of most offences remain unchanged, pre-2024 case law continues to be binding and relevant. The Supreme Court has not indicated any intention to treat IPC-era precedent as inapplicable under the BNS where the provision has been carried forward without substantive change.

Maintaining a printed quick-reference card in the court file is a practical habit that many experienced practitioners have adopted. A single laminated card listing the 30 most frequently cited section equivalences — murder, bail, anticipatory bail, cheating, forgery, common intention, conspiracy, defamation, and the key BNSS procedural sections — can save significant time during hearings. Judges have been known to appreciate advocates who can fluently cite the correct BNS/BNSS sections without fumbling through papers.

Online converter tools and mobile applications have proliferated since July 2024, and many practitioners use them for quick spot-checks. However, these tools should be treated as first-pass references, not authoritative sources. Several early converter tools contained errors — some mapping IPC 302 to BNS 302 rather than BNS 103 — that propagated quickly because practitioners relied on them without verification. The only authoritative source for section equivalences is the bare act as published in the Gazette of India. Every conversion should be verified against the bare act text before being cited in court.

The 12-Month Transition Roadmap for Criminal Practitioners

Learning three new codes simultaneously is an overwhelming task if approached without a structured plan. The following 12-month roadmap provides a systematic approach to mastering the BNS, BNSS, and BSA. It is designed for practising lawyers who cannot afford to take time off from court work to study full-time.

During months 1 through 3, the focus should be on mastering the BNS sections that appear most frequently in daily practice. This means starting with offences against the body (BNS 100–109), offences against women (BNS 63–85), and property offences (BNS 303–339). These are the provisions that appear in the majority of FIRs and charge sheets. Simultaneously, practitioners should learn the critical BNSS procedural sections — FIR (173), arrest (35), remand (187), bail (482/483), and inherent powers (528). This three-month foundation will cover approximately 80 percent of the sections encountered in routine criminal practice.

During months 4 through 6, attention should shift to the new offences and procedural mechanisms that have no IPC/CrPC equivalent. This means studying BNS 103(2) (mob lynching), 111 (organised crime), 112 (petty organised crime), 113 (terrorism), and the community service sentencing provisions. On the procedural side, this period should cover Zero FIR (BNSS 173), mandatory audio-video recording requirements, electronic summons (BNSS 64), and the time-bound investigation framework. Understanding these new provisions is essential because they introduce legal concepts that have no direct precedent under the old codes.

Months 7 through 9 should be devoted to the BSA and to understanding how electronic evidence rules have changed. The shift from secondary to primary evidence for electronic records, the dual-signature certificate requirement under BSA 63(4), and the expanded expert opinion framework under BSA 39 should be studied in depth. Practitioners should also use this period to study the offences against the state and public order provisions (BNS 147–199), including the replacement of sedition with BNS 152.

The final quarter, months 10 through 12, should focus on comparative study and case law integration. This means reading the emerging body of High Court and Supreme Court decisions interpreting the new codes, understanding how courts are handling the transitional provisions, and developing a personal reference system (whether digital or physical) that allows quick access to section equivalences during court hearings. By the end of 12 months, a practitioner who follows this roadmap will have a working command of all three new codes that matches (or exceeds) their previous familiarity with the IPC, CrPC, and Evidence Act.

Frequently Asked Questions About IPC to BNS Conversion

What is the BNS equivalent of IPC 302?

The BNS equivalent of IPC Section 302 (murder) is BNS Section 103. This is one of the most critical conversions to remember because BNS Section 302 exists but covers an entirely different offence — deliberately wounding the religious feelings of any class. Citing “BNS 302” in a murder case is a serious error that has already caused confusion in courtrooms across India. The murder provision under BNS 103 retains the punishment structure of the old IPC 302 — death or life imprisonment plus fine — and also adds a new sub-section, BNS 103(2), which specifically addresses murder by mob lynching with enhanced penalties.

How many sections are there in BNS?

The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) contains 358 sections, compared to the Indian Penal Code’s 511 sections. This reduction in the number of sections does not mean that fewer offences are covered. The BNS has consolidated overlapping provisions, removed redundant sections, and reorganised the code’s structure so that related offences appear in the same chapter. At the same time, approximately 20 new offences have been introduced (including organised crime, mob lynching, and terrorism) and approximately 20 old provisions have been removed (including sedition, attempt to suicide, and adultery).

When did BNS replace IPC?

The BNS replaced the IPC on July 1, 2024. All three new criminal codes — the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) — came into force simultaneously on this date. The Acts received Presidential assent in December 2023, but the enforcement date notification came only weeks before July 1, 2024, giving the legal community a compressed window to prepare. All offences committed on or after July 1, 2024, are governed exclusively by the BNS. Offences committed before this date continue to be governed by the IPC for substantive law purposes, though BNSS governs the procedural aspects even for pre-July 2024 cases.

Is IPC still valid after BNS came into effect?

The IPC continues to apply to offences committed before July 1, 2024. For any offence that took place before the BNS came into force, the substantive law that was in effect at the time of the offence (the IPC) continues to govern the charge, trial, and conviction. However, the procedural law governing those cases — including bail, remand, trial procedure, and appeals — is now governed by the BNSS, not the old CrPC. This dual-track system means that criminal practitioners must remain fluent in both the IPC and the BNS for the foreseeable future, as pre-July 2024 cases will continue to be tried under IPC provisions for several years.

What is IPC 420 in BNS?

IPC Section 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) corresponds to BNS Section 318. The definition and punishment structure are substantially unchanged — the offence continues to cover cheating that results in the dishonest inducement of delivery of property or the making, alteration, or destruction of a valuable security. The maximum punishment of 7 years imprisonment plus fine has been retained. The colloquial use of “420” to refer to a fraudster will likely persist in common parlance, but legal documents must now cite BNS 318.

Which IPC sections are deleted in BNS?

The most significant IPC sections that have been deleted from the BNS include: Section 124A (sedition), Section 309 (attempt to commit suicide), Section 377 (unnatural offences, as it applied to consensual acts between adults), Section 497 (adultery), and Sections 310 and 311 (relating to “thugs”). Each of these deletions reflects either a Supreme Court judgment that had already struck down or read down the provision, or a policy decision to remove colonial-era anachronisms. Section 124A has been replaced by BNS Section 152 (acts endangering sovereignty), which is a differently defined offence with a narrower scope.

What are the new offences in BNS not in IPC?

The BNS introduces several entirely new offences that had no equivalent under the IPC. The most significant are: BNS 103(2) (murder by mob lynching, punishable with death or life imprisonment with a minimum of 7 years), BNS 111 (organised crime, covering syndicate-driven criminal activity), BNS 112 (petty organised crime, targeting gang-level property offences), and BNS 113 (terrorist act, providing a definition and punishment framework for terrorism within the general criminal code). Additionally, the BNS introduces community service as a new form of punishment for petty offences — an option that did not exist under the IPC’s sentencing framework.

Is sedition removed from BNS?

Yes, the colonial-era sedition offence under IPC Section 124A has been removed from the BNS. However, it has not been replaced with nothing. BNS Section 152 introduces a new offence — “acts endangering sovereignty, unity, and integrity of India” — that covers some of the conduct previously prosecuted as sedition but with important differences. BNS 152 focuses on acts (not mere words or expressions) that endanger sovereignty or excite secession or armed rebellion. The punishment ranges up to life imprisonment or 7 years plus fine. The shift from “disaffection towards the government” (the old sedition standard) to “acts endangering sovereignty” represents a meaningful change in scope that will be interpreted and refined by courts over the coming years.

What is Zero FIR under BNSS?

Zero FIR is a new statutory provision under BNSS Section 173 that requires any police station to register a First Information Report (FIR) regardless of whether the offence occurred within its territorial jurisdiction. Under the old CrPC, many police stations would refuse to register FIRs on the ground that the offence fell outside their jurisdiction, forcing complainants to travel to the “correct” police station. BNSS 173 eliminates this practice by mandating that the FIR be registered at the first police station approached by the complainant. The FIR must then be transferred to the police station having actual jurisdiction within 15 days. This provision significantly improves access to justice, particularly in cases of sexual violence, kidnapping, and offences committed during travel.

What is the difference between IPC and BNS?

The BNS replaces the IPC as India’s substantive criminal law. The key differences are structural and substantive. Structurally, the BNS has 358 sections compared to the IPC’s 511 — a reduction achieved through consolidation and removal of redundant provisions. Substantively, the BNS introduces new offences (mob lynching, organised crime, terrorism), deletes outdated provisions (sedition, adultery, attempt to suicide, unnatural offences), introduces community service as a sentencing option, and reorganises offences into thematic chapters that place related offences together. The BNS also updates language and illustrations to reflect contemporary Indian society. However, the core definitions of most offences — murder, theft, cheating, assault, rape — remain substantially unchanged from the IPC, meaning that pre-2024 case law continues to be relevant and applicable.

What is Section 482 CrPC in BNSS?

CrPC Section 482 (inherent powers of the High Court) corresponds to BNSS Section 528. This provision saves the inherent power of every High Court to make such orders as may be necessary to give effect to any order under the Code, or to prevent abuse of the process of any court, or otherwise to secure the ends of justice. This is one of the most frequently invoked provisions in criminal practice, used primarily for quashing FIRs and criminal proceedings, and for seeking directions that fall outside the specific provisions of the procedural code. The power under BNSS 528 is identical in scope to the old CrPC 482.

How many sections does BNSS have?

The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) contains 531 sections, compared to the old CrPC’s 484 sections. Unlike the BNS (which reduced the section count), the BNSS has expanded the procedural code to accommodate new mechanisms such as Zero FIR, mandatory audio-video recording of searches and seizures, electronic service of summons, time-bound investigation, and enhanced provisions for victim rights. The increase in sections reflects the addition of detailed procedural requirements that were either absent from the CrPC or existed only as judicial directives without statutory backing.

What is Section 65B Evidence Act in BSA?

Evidence Act Section 65B (admissibility of electronic records) corresponds to BSA Section 63(4). This is one of the most consequential changes across all three new codes. Under the old Evidence Act, electronic records were treated as secondary evidence, requiring a certificate under Section 65B(4) as a mandatory precondition for admissibility. Under the BSA, electronic records are now classified as primary evidence, placing them on the same footing as original physical documents. The certificate requirement is retained under BSA 63(4) but has been enhanced — it must now bear dual signatures from the person handling the electronic device and the person managing the electronic communication or storage system. This dual-signature requirement is a new compliance obligation that affects the admissibility of all electronic evidence in criminal trials.

Can old IPC case law still be cited under BNS?

Yes, case law decided under the IPC remains relevant and citable under the BNS where the substantive definition of the offence has been carried forward without material change. Since the BNS retains the core definitions of most offences (murder, culpable homicide, theft, cheating, forgery, criminal breach of trust, etc.), the decades of judicial interpretation developed under the IPC continue to apply. When citing pre-2024 case law, the recommended format is to reference both the old and new section numbers — for example, “Section 302 IPC (corresponding to BNS Section 103).” The Supreme Court has not issued any direction suggesting that IPC-era precedent is inapplicable to BNS proceedings where the provision is substantively identical.

For the official text of all three codes, refer to the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita on India Code, the PRS India legislative brief, and the BPRD official comparison summary.

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What is community service as punishment under BNS?

Community service is a new form of punishment introduced by the BNS that has no equivalent under the IPC. It applies to specified petty offences, including simple hurt (BNS 115(2)), theft of property valued under Rs 5,000, appearing in a public place in an intoxicated state, defamation, and certain other minor offences. When imposing community service, the court may direct the convicted person to perform unpaid work for the benefit of the community as an alternative to imprisonment. The specific nature and duration of community service is left to the sentencing court’s discretion. This introduction represents a shift towards restorative justice principles, recognising that imprisonment for petty offences may be counterproductive and disproportionate. It is particularly significant for first-time offenders and for reducing the burden on overcrowded prisons.