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Wednesday, 11 November 2026 Judgments, law jobs and study notes, written by a practising advocate
Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 · Chapter XVIII: The Charge

Section 242 BNSS: Offences of same kind within year may be charged together

Corresponding CrPC
Section 219 CrPC

Bare Act text

(1) When a person is accused of more offences than one of the same kind committed within the space of twelve months from the first to the last of such offences, whether in respect of the same person or not, he may be charged with, and tried at one trial for, any number of them not exceeding five.

(2) Offences are of the same kind when they are punishable with the same amount of punishment under the same section of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 or of any special or local law:

Provided that for the purposes of this section, an offence punishable under sub-section (2) of section 303 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 shall be deemed to be an offence of the same kind as an offence punishable under section 305 of the said Sanhita, and that an offence punishable under any section of the said Sanhita, or of any special or local law, shall be deemed to be an offence of the same kind as an attempt to commit such offence, when such an attempt is an offence.

Text as enacted in the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (Act No. 46 of 2023), in force from 1 July 2024. Source: India Code, Government of India.

In simple words

Allows a person accused of more than one offence of the same kind committed within twelve months, from first to last, to be charged and tried at one trial for up to five of them. Offences are of the same kind if punishable with the same amount of punishment under the same section of the BNS or a special or local law.

Chapter XVIII: The Charge

  1. 234 Contents of charge
  2. 235 Particulars as to time, place and person
  3. 236 When manner of committing offence must be stated
  4. 237 Words in charge taken in sense of law under which offence is punishable
  5. 238 Effect of errors
  6. 239 Court may alter charge
  7. 240 Recall of witnesses when charge altered
  8. 241 Separate charges for distinct offences
  9. 242 Offences of same kind within year may be charged together
  10. 243 Trial for more than one offence
  11. 244 Where it is doubtful what offence has been committed
  12. 245 When offence proved included in offence charged
  13. 246 What persons may be charged jointly
  14. 247 Withdrawal of remaining charges on conviction on one of several charges